Enchanted
by EnchantingNightmares
Summary: Genderbender/male!Bella. Branson just moved to Forks with his father. When he meets the mysterious Edward Cullen, he is not only determined to figure out his secret, but to figure out himself as a person. Previously 'Dearly Devoted'. ED/OC Slash. Discontinued due to lost of interest in fandom.
1. Preface

_Preface_

I have never given much thought about how I would die. Car crash. Disease. Or maybe just the overly-used old age, rotting out like a vegetable. Nothing quite exciting or interesting.

Never in my life would I have thought that I would die this way. But, maybe, I'm okay with it. Dieing in the place of someone that I could possibly love.

Not the excitement I was looking for, but, I think it would be a nice way to go.


	2. First Sight

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter One**

**-First Sight-**

My head stayed down at my lap on the entire ride to the airport. Mom sat in the passenger seat looking as though she was on the brink of tears. Her new husband, Phil Dwyer, kept his eyes straight on the road, face showing no emotions what-so-ever, but that was just Phil. Not exactly the type to show his emotions.

I had grown up in London, England. At 16, I would have finished my schooling at the end of this year, but I decided to leave. My father had lived over-seas in Washington state, America. I haven't seen him since I was about a year and a half old. Shortly after I was born, my mother, Renee, had started to have an affair with an Englishman (Phil) who was interning at the hospital in Seattle in which I was born. When Phil had finished up over at the Hospital he had needed to go back to England. Mom, being the free spirit that she is, didn't want to live a small town life. She decided to leave my father, Charlie, to go back to London with her new beau, taking me with her.

I had recently learned that American teenagers had stayed in school until they were eighteen before they needed to be off to live the University life. I had always felt guilty about never being able to get to know my father personally and had always urged to go and do so. I decided then and there that I was going to go to America and live with my father.

Mom was against it. But she had let me go without any arguments. I was old and mature enough to make my own decisions and she knew that. But I could see the pain behind her eyes when I told her my plans. Charlie on the other hand was ecstatic for me to come and live with him. He had raved on and on about things we would be able to do together. Bonding-activities as he put it.

"Branson," mom said quietly, causing a twinge in my chest, "are you sure that you want to go?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, I'm sure," I responded. Minutes later we arrived at the airport. My mother gave teary goodbyes hugged me tightly. I was short, about five-four, so my head nestled awkwardly in between her breasts. Phil pried her off of me before her patted my head, looking slightly uncomfortable with showing some sort of emotion. It was nice that he did that for me, and that he was sad to see me go as well.

The flight was about eight hours long. I had tried to sleep during the flight, but I ended up sitting next to an older man who wouldn't stop staring at me. I felt his eyes on me the whole time I was laid back against my seat and had my eyes close. I finally gave up on trying to sleep with the uncomfortable gaze on me. Once or twice I would look out of the corner of my eye and saw him licking his lips like I was some prime-ribbed steak.

When we landed I bolted off the plane and went to find my luggage and Charlie as quickly as possible. It wasn't difficult to recognize him. We had similar features in our faces, except that he had a thick brown mustache above his lip. But the same light brown eyes and the thick dark brown hair. Nice to know I won't go bald in my future.

"Dad?" I called out. Charlie looked down at me and his eyes lit up. A grin overcame his face as he stepped forward and collected me in his arms tightly.

"Branson," he said, "It's so good to see you."

I smiled. "You, too, dad."

The two of us talked about anything and everything on the way down to his home in Forks. It was a bit odd since Renee had always told me the Charlie wasn't the talkative type. He pulled in to the driveway of a small, two-story, home with a large red Chevy parked in the driveway. Dad had helped pull my luggage out of the trunk of his police cruiser (he was the chief of police in town) and up to the front door. He stopped me from going inside. "You see that truck over there," he nodded at the beat-up vehicle, "it's yours."

I was shocked. I didn't expect him to buy me a car. "Oh, dad," I said, "you really didn't have to."

He smiled. "But I wanted to. Think of it as your welcome home present."

I smiled back at him. Would I be able to drive in America?

The answer was no. No I could not drive in this country. First off, I had gotten in on the wrong side of the truck, forgetting that everything was backwards here. And still not keeping that in mind, I drove on the wrong side of the road as well. I almost crashed in to several cars on my way to school.

However, despite my many almost-accidents, I still got to a bit of Forks. It was so.. green. Sure I was use to the rain, but I didn't live in a small town surrounded by a forest. Aside from that though, it was nice. It was like an old-fashioned colonial town I had learned about in those old history books Renee showed me.

Pulling in to the school's parking lot, I was glad to notice I wasn't the only teenager in the town with a crappy car. However, at the back end of the lot, I noticed a shiny silver Volvo parked by it's lonesome.

The office was easy to find and I wanted to get in and out of there as soon as possible. It was small and squared with several chairs lined up along the wall. Opposite those, was a large case full of awards won by the school. And in the front, a red-haired old woman sat behind a desk. Her glasses hung around her neck on a silver chain and she had the distinct smell of cucumber and some kind of mint. I approached her and she gave me a small smile before narrowing her eyes at me. "Oh my," she whispered, "you must be Branson," she said, "You look so much like your father."

I chuckled with slight embarrassment, said thank you and she smiled bigger, show her teeth. "Your accent is adorable." She shuffled though a pile of papers before pulling three out and handing them over to me. "This is you class schedule and a map of the school. The smaller blue needs to be signed by your teachers." She looked at me nicely and I gave her a small smile in return. I didn't mind much attention to her before I turned around and walked to my first class.

My schedule had said I had English Literature first period, in building three. All the buildings were in order at the school and had bright red numbers painted on the front. I walked in to room marked 304 and head to the teacher's desk. He was sitting at his desk correcting papers.

"Excuse me," I said.

He looked up at me curiously. "Yes? May I help you?" he asked.

"I'm Branson Swan, I just transferred over."

He smiled at me. Why did everyone in town smile at me? "So you are the Chief's son," he said rather loudly. The talking died down behind me and I turned my head to see each student in the class looking at me intensely. I looked back at the teacher, Mr. Mason my schedule had said, and nodded my head. I had him sign the slip I was suppose to before he waved me over to an empty chair in the back.

First class came and went. My second class was trigonometry. The teacher, Mr. Varner had made me introduce myself in front of the class. Several of the girls cooed at me. It wasn't sure if it as because I was short or because of my accent. Maybe it had been both. Some of the guys chuckled at me and I flushed scarlet red.

It was at the end of fifth class that I had met a girl named Jessica. She offered to show me to my next class. I kindly agreed, but I soon started to regret it. She kept shooting off question after question.

_So you're the Chief's son?_

_How do you like Forks?_

_Where are you from?_

_How long have you been here?_

And on and on. But when she asked if I wanted to sit with her and her friends at lunch, I had to agree. I really didn't want to sit by myself and what other opportunity would I get to sit with others on my first day at a new school. She stood with me and line and we gathered our plates. She told me what was good to get and not good, but most of the things that she claimed were delicious looked like they were about to crawl right out of the pot. I followed her to her table and she introduced me to all of the people that sat around the table. Most of the people I vaguely recognized, but one girl stood out in particular. I remember her as Angela Webber. She was in my Spanish class and sat a couple of seat in front of me. She was the one person here that looked the most sincere... the most real.

Then, I saw _them_.

Each were beautiful in their own unique way. The two girls were complete opposites to begin with. One had long curly blonde hair and seemed to be about five-ten. The other girl was short, almost dwarf-like. Her black hair was cropped short and stacked in neat layers.

Then the three guys. Similar to the female blonde, this one, too, had a mop of curly blonde hair and I could make out feint scars on the parts that were visible on his body, but he looked like he was in a lot of pain. A brown haired one with bulging muscles outlined by his skin-tight shirt. And finally the last one didn't look as buff as the others,but he still had a very lean body. He had major bed hair the coor of a penny, but some how it worked for him fantastically.

How ever they did have distinct similarities. They all had chalk-white skin and golden-ashed color eyes.

"So you saw the Cullen's," Angela snapped my out of my trance.

"The who?" I asked.

"The Cullen's. The group you were just looking at," she explained.

"Yeah," Jessica cut in, "the dark haired ones. Those are Emmett, Alice, and Edward Cullen. And the blondes, they're Rosalie and Jasper Hale."

I pondered over their names. All of their names had seemed a little old-fashioned to me.

Jessica continued, "They were all adopted by Dr. Cullen and his wife." The penny-haired one, Edward, looked over at us for a split second, but I noticed it. He fiddled with the bagel that was sitting in front of him, tearing it to shreds while his lips moved at a fast pace. But, none of them were looking at him. Maybe he was crazy and liked to talk to himself.

"Are they related by blood?" I asked.

Jessica shook her head. "No. Dr. Cullen adopted them all. Except for the Hales, they are brother and sister. Twins. They're Mrs. Cullen's niece and nephew. She took them in when their parents died." she looked to her left then her right rather quickly. Then she leaned in quickly as if she were going to expose some sort of big secret. "They're all couples though."

I waited for her to elaborate, not sure if I understood her correctly.

"Like Emmett and Rosalie, they're a couple. And Alice and Jasper are together. And they all, like, live together."

I rose an eyebrow at her. "So what?"

She frowned at my not-so-shocked reaction. She was probably hoping for some big dramatic gasp. "So it's weird. They're suppose to be like siblings."

"It's not that weird. If anything it's pretty convenient for them." I said. I looked at the last one who sat by his lonesome. "What's his story."

"Edward?" she asked a slight swoon was heard in her voice, "He's not seeing anyone. Apparently, no one here is good enough for him." her swooning disappeared and her tone held slight venom. I chuckled in a small tone so she wouldn't hear me. I looked and I saw Edward smile as well.

The conversation was steered else-where by the blonde haired baby face boy, who I later learned name is Mike, started directing everyone's attention. Except for mine. For some unknown reason my eyes stayed glued right on to Edward Cullen throughout the rest of the lunch, my food long forgotten. They was something intriguing and mysterious about him and I wanted to know what it was.

The bell rang and a hand clamped itself on to my shoulder. I craned my neck and looked in to the blue eyes of Mike. "So, Branson," he said, "what do you have next?" he asked.

Fishing my schedule out of my pocket, I peered down and read aloud my sixth class of the day. "Biology with Mr. Banner," I read.

Mike smiled. "Awesome, I have that class, too. I'll walk you."

Like he said, Mike had escorted me to the science building. Similar to Jessica, he shot off random questions at me. I learned a couple things about him as well. He told me he was originally from California, the state just south of here. I never seen much of sunlight before, so I couldn't share his longing for the warmth you get when the natural light hits your skin.

However, one thing did bother me. He gave me a nickname. "Alright B, here we are."

B? Really?

But I suppose it could be worse. He could refer to me as where I was from. Can you imagine that? Although, I could see someone like him standing at the opposite side of me in the parking lot of the school, calling out to me in his odd American slang he and the other guys in that group used.

_Yo, London! Where you at?_

I slightly chuckled at the thought. The name London would make me sound like some sort of pornography actor.

Mike introduced me to the teacher, Mr. Banner. He was a wiry, skinny man who had a receding hairline. But, he was nice enough. After signing my slip, he directed me towards an empty seat directly next to _him_.

Edward Cullen sat at the lab table by himself and he looked as stiff as a wooden board. He grew even more tense as I drifted closer to him. His hand was clenched on his lap and his face was scrunched up like he smelt something disgusting. I mumbled a quick hello before sitting down in the seat next to him. His dark, coal black eyes glared at me harshly. He scooted his seat as far away from me as the table would let him, not letting his obvious distaste for me phase what-so-ever. I subconsciously fidgeted in my seat, but his eyes were burning into the side of my skull.

When the bell rang he jumped right out of his seat and was out the door before I could even blink. I didn't want to think about what happened, about him, but my mind wouldn't allow me to wander to anything else.

Mike approached my desk with an amused smile lighting his face. "Did you stab Cullen with a pencil or something?" he asked, "I've never seen him act like that before."

I just shrugged. I desperately wanted to know his problem with me was, unsure as of why. I could care less if anyone didn't like me, so why did I care so much now? With him?

"Where are you going next?" Mike asked.

"Gym."

"Me, too. You can be on my team today."

I paused for a bit. "I don't think that is such a good idea," I told him.

Sadness and disappointment washed over in his eyes. "Why not?" he asked. I feel like I just kicked someone's puppy with the look he was giving me.

"It's not you, its me. Well, I guess technically it is you, well, your well-being. I suck at gym," I told him.

I saw relief. He laughed. "Come one, you can't be that bad."

Yes, Mike, I can be that bad. For one thing, I wasn't particularly coordinated. And I just didn't like sports at all. I didn't have the patience to sit and watch a game or had the skills to play, so I just never bothered with them.

The gym teacher, Coach Clapp, was a big burly man with a low voice. He had given me a uniform and ushered me to the locker room to change. He had us play badminton. Mike and I went behind one of the nets while another team positioned themselves on the opposite side. Mike had me stand in the back and told me to serve. He would take care of the rest.

I felt bad when class was over. I must have whacked Mike in the back of the head with the birdie several times, causing a booming laugh from the opposite team every time.

He rubbed the back of his head affectionately as the two of us walked to the parking lot. "I guess you weren't kidding," he said. I smiled sadly and shook my head. "That's alright. I've had worse injuries then just a couple bonks on the head."

I had said my goodbyes to him and he promised he would see me tomorrow. I had to walk back to the school's office and drop off the slip my teachers had to sign. When I opened the door, a wind of cold air came along with me into the heated room. And who else was standing in there but Edward Cullen himself, staring down at the secretary with red hair, as stiff as he was in Biology. He turned his head and glared at me like he had before.

He turned back to the secretary. "Thank you. I guess, I'll just have endure it," he had said before storming out of the office.

The woman behind the desk just blinked at – I'm guessing – his sudden change of mood before smiling at me. She still had the overly strong smell of cucumbers, though. "How was your day, dear?" she asked.

I shrugged at her. "It was fine, I guess," I told her. And it wasn't a lie. The whole Edward thing aside, it was a pretty good first day for me.

* * *

><p>s<p>

**So what did you think. I want to try and work really hard on this.**

**I wanted to make it different from the original novel, because really, who wants to re-read the same story, just with a different character? However, I do want to stick to the story line.**

**There might be some lines taken from the movie instead of the book, because I'm doing this all from memory and I won't remember which is which.**

**So, is Branson to much like Bella? I didn't want to alter the character alot, but I wanted a noticeable difference.**

**Please Review. Any kind of positive feedback or some constructive criticism or maybe something about the characters I could improve. Anything would be great.**

**Thanks,**

**.:StargazersHourglass:.**


	3. Open Book

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Two**

**-Open Book-**

I had waited weeks to be able to confront Edward Cullen. After my first day, he didn't show up at school. Nor did he show up the day after and the after. I had started to feel a slight paranoia and a bit of guilt over come and drop down into my stomach. Had he left because of me? Something I might have done and not have known it? Everyday I would glance at their table during lunch. I saw all of siblings sitting there, but not him. I would try and keep my mind on other things, but some how my thoughts would always go back to him, or I'd make some sort of comparison to him. I was becoming obsessed. Like a stalker and his prey.

It was the end of September when I glance at their table on a Monday and I saw him there with the rest of his siblings. Excitement crept up through me. He glanced over at me and our eyes connected. They were an ashy-amber color, which differentiated dramatically of when I had first met him. We kept our eyes on each other, locked in a gaze which seemed to be like looking at a train wreck.

"Branson!"

I snapped my eyes shut and looked to my right. Angela was looking at me with a concerned look. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Um, yeah, Ang. I'm fine." I didn't know if I was reassuring her or myself.

I went back to eating the rest of my lunch. Through the whole time, I had felt something brush up against my leg. I ignored it at first, but then it happened again. I jumped back in surprise, which cause Angela to jump as well. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked.

I nodded and settled myself down. I looked back at the Cullen's and Edward's mouth had a slight smirk on it. I watch his eyes flicker from me over to the person sitting across from me.

Lauren Mallory was a snobby, bleached blonde, bottle head. She was a little smaller than I was. Which is odd, considering how big her ego is, there isn't a lot of room to put it. However, she had taken some sort of romantic interest in me. I knew it. Everyone knew it. The girl is many things, but subtle isn't one of them. And to top it all off, Jessica, the girl who invited me to this table, was her lackey. Everything Lauren did, she did. So her interests in me had gone from plain old, shiny new toy curiosity to romantic play thing as well. But, I was pretty sure that those feeling were artificial.

Jessica was sitting next Lauren and a slight flush were on her feminine features. Was it her that was touching my leg?

Or maybe it was Lauren. She was staring at me with a hunger in her eyes.

Either way, it still kind of grossed me out. I found neither of them attractive in the least. I glanced beside me. If I were interested in dating anyone in this town, it would probably be Angela. She was the kind of girl who was pretty, but was to modest to admit to it. I admired that. However, those flames of attraction were never sparked.

Even though Edward was back, he wasn't speaking to me. If I was more of a pessimistic kind of guy, that really would get to me. I had the exact opposite reaction. Sitting next to him at my – _our_– lab table he seemed more relaxed then the first time we were in this classroom together. I threw my bag on the floor next to me and slammed my text book on my desk. I saw his left eye twitch at the sound. I smirked mischievously. I sat on my stool and began to drum my fingers on the table in an obnoxious rhythm I peeked slightly over to him and noticed his face was blossoming in to a look of agitation. This made me feel a bit better. I annoyed him as much as wondering about where he was annoying me.

Good.

School ended quickly, after I pelted a few students with a volleyball in gym class. Poor Mike, he got hit the most. It seems every time I play in a game he becomes the butt of my terror.

I had to get dinner ready before Charlie came home. I raided the cabinets to see that he hasn't gone grocery shopping yet. I huffed in annoyance and picked up the phone on the wall. Looks like we're having pizza again.

As soon as I put the phone back on the receiver the front door opened and I heard Charlie come in, his heavy police boots made loud thumps as he walked on the hardwood floors. "Hey kid," he called out. He placed his belt on the hook by the door and closer to me.

"Hey dad," I said.

"How was school today?"

I shrugged. "School." I peered over my shoulder and gave him a look as he rummaged through the refrigerator for his beer. "You know, I went to make dinner a while ago and imagine my surprise when I looked for any kind of food and all I find is a can of tomato sauce."

He turns around and chuckles sheepishly. "Oopsie?" he shrugged a light pink tinging his cheek.

I rolled my eyes. "Just leave me some money before you go to work tomorrow. I'll go to the store for you." I sighed loudly. "How did you live for so long on your own?"

I started working on some homework and Charlie went to watch whatever sport was currently on TV while we waited for the pizza to arrive. A hard pounding on the door was heard at the door a half hour later. Dad, distracted with the game told me to take a twenty out of his wallet. I rolled my eyes, but obliged to his demands.

Opening the door, two guys stood behind it. One sitting in a wheelchair and the other looked to be about fifteen years old. Both grinning and the man in the wheelchair held two pizza boxes in his lap. Both had dark brown eyes and russet-tan skin. "Um, hi?" I said.

"Branson!" the elder cheered, "It's so great to see you again!"

"Do I know you?" I asked. I don't remember ever seeing either one of these two before.

I heard Charlie approach from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw him grin at the two in the threshold. "Billy!" Charlie cried, "About time the two of you came up here." Now I was confused. I just shrugged my shoulders and stepped aside so dad could get closer to his... friends? "Don't just stand there," my father continued, " come on in."

The teenager pushed the wheelchair in through the doorway and set him in the living room. He grabbed the pizzas from him and handed them over to Charlie. "We stopped on the way and picked them up. We figured you would be ordering out tonight," he said.

"Branson, my boy. C'mere," Charlie wrapped one arm over my shoulder. "Branson, this is Jacob. He's Billy's son. You remember Billy don't you.?"

Jacob grinned at me. He had really nice teeth. "No I don't remember Billy."

Billy chuckled. "I'm not surprise. You were only a little over a year before your momma took ya over seas," he said.

I smiled slightly at him.

"What are you two doing here?" Charlie asked.

"Well, can't a couple of friends go over to see a friend?" Billy asked with a joking undertone.

"That, and our TV broke," Jacob said.

Billy smacked him in the leg as he and Charlie laughed.

The three of them sat around just talking, eating pizza and joking around with each other. I sat off on the side, feeling completely out of place and just watched as the three interacted with one-another. I gathered up my homework I was working on earlier off the floor and took it upstairs to my bedroom. I placed the books on my desk by the window and collapsed backwards on to my bed. I closed my eyes and let myself drift off into a light sleep.

_I was alone. Sitting in the middle of some big space surrounded bye trees. The grass beneath me was soft and the wind breezed gently through my hair._

_I looked down and saw a body laying down next to mine. His body was lean and hard, but for some reason I let myself drop backwards to rest my head on his torso._

_I looked up and I don't have any idea why I didn't jump out of my skin when I saw his face. Edward Cullen was looking down at me with a smile on his pale face. He wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me closer to his. Tilting my chin up, his smile widened a bit and his hey dropped to my lips. He moved his face cloesr to mine. I wanted to stop him. Needed to stop him. But I didn't._

_His lips pressed on to mine. They were cold and felt like marble. Like I was kissing a wall, but I still couldn't tear myself away from him. We parted and he look at me directly in the eyes._

"_I love you, Branson," he whispered._

_His eyes drained of all their color and turned in to the charcoal black I saw on my first day at Forks High. A snarl rips through his throat as his head dove into the crook of my neck. He took a bite out of my flesh and the blood gushed out. I howled in pain as he began to suck the blood right out of me._

_When he pulled away, threw me onto the ground and stood over me, his eyes now a dark crimson._

I shot up from my bed, beads of sweat lining my brow. My chest heaved up and down in heavy pants and my hand immediately flew to my neck were Dream Edward had bitten. I started to calm down as I felt there was unmarked flesh in that area. I swallowed the pool of saliva in the back of my mouth.

Once I was able to keep my heart tamed back in to its normal state, I had started to analyze my dream.

Why in the hell did I dream about being kissed by Edward Cullen? Why is the idea of me kissing another guy, no, _Edward_ not repulse me greatly? I never thought of myself as a homosexual. So, why is it when his lips were up against mine, it felt... pretty damn good.

But the kiss pales in comparison to the end of my dream. What the hell was that? It's like he turned into some kind of wild animal. Before, I thought I was the predator not the prey. The stalker not the stalkee. So maybe I'm the one who should be weary around him.

I think it would be best if I just got my mind off of it for a while. I walked down the stairs and saw Charlie sitting on the couch by himself. Billy and Jacob must of left. I shook my head and went to grab a beer out of the fridge. I walked in to the living room and sat on the couch by Charlie's Lazy-Boy. I twisted the cap off and downed my first swig. Charlie looked at me with an expression that looked torn between amusement and confusion. Heh, beats anger. "What do you think your doing?" he asked.

I half shrugged at him. "Having a beer."

"Why?"

"Got a lot on my mind. Does it bother you?"

He chuckled and said, "Don't tell your mother."

We stayed silent for a while. That's what I think I like most about Charlie. He knows when to keep quiet, unlike Renee who must always be engaged in some sort of conversation. I guess basking in the silence, only listening to the sound of the television or a radio is a trait I picked up from him.

I downed the rest of my beer and got myself a second and another one for Charlie. I tossed it over to him and sat back in my place on the couch. I popped the cap off. "Hey dad," I said, "What do you know about the Cullen's?" I asked.

He glanced at me. "Not to much," he said, "why?"

"No reason. I just noticed that they just keep to themselves. Not really conversing outside their family."

"Yeah. The Cullen's are private people. Don't really like to deal with other people," he paused to take a swig, "However, Dr. Cullen is a great man. The best doctor that this towns ever had."

I said nothing more and neither did he. We just drank our beer and watched sports center, and I really could care less.

I groaned when my alarm went off the next morning. I swung my arm to the damn clock, trying to knock down the snooze button. My whole head felt like it pounding on the inside of my skull trying to escape. My stomach felt queasy and my mouth was dry. A booming laugh echoed in my left ear. I groaned again and pried my eyes open only to look at Charlie with a big smirk on his face. "Morning," he said. I never realized how loud Charlie could actually be.

"Can you not talk so loud," I rasped, picking my body up. He handed me a small pill and a glass of water.

"Didn't realize you were such a light wight," he said as I took the medicine and downed the whole glass of water, "you only had about two and a half beers."

I looked at him... well tried to at least. "You're all blurry," I told him.

He snorted. "Time to get up kid, you have school today."

"What?" I complained. "I'm hungover and you're making me go to school?"

"Well then don't drink on a school night. No, better yet, don't drink at all unless I'm there with you."

I scoffed, making my head vibrate painfully. I had Charlie pull me out of the bed and as I walked to the closet I mumbled about the towns-folk having a field day about the son of the Chief of Police going to school with a hangover. It just caused him to laugh and he went left, presumably to go to work.

I got downstairs about an hour later. I had already missed first period and I considered just skipping the day all together, but I'm pretty sure that word would get back to Charlie and he will actually scold me this time. I went in to the kitchen to grab a granola bar for the road and I saw the long black hair of Jacob Black sitting at the kitchen table. "Um, hi?"

He turned his head and flashed me a bright smile with his oh-so perfect teeth. "Are you going to say that every time we meet?" he teased me.

I frowned at him. "Sorry. What are you doing here?"

"Your dad called me. Told me to give you a ride to school since you wouldn't be able to. He didn't tell me why, but now I see. You look awful," he told me.

"Oh Jacob you are such a charmer," I drawled out sarcastically, "Do you have multiple girls underneath your belt with your allurement? And what do you mean drive me. You like, what, fourteen?"

He laughed at me. Douche. "I'm fifteen."

"Ooh, big difference."

He grinned again. Damn those teeth. "I had to learn how to drive after my mom died and dad getting paralyzed from the waist down."

Damn. He pulled the pity card. Now I can't make fun of him.

"Give me a second to get -" He cut me off by shoving a red wrapper in my face. "A granola bar."

Does this kid ever frown? He threw his keys up in the air and caught them in his hand again. "Let's get going."

I pegged Jacob to be a fast driver. I had no idea how right I was. Although, thanks to his speed, I was able to make it to Spanish on time. And I was pretty thankful that I didn't vomit on the way there.

I stumbled in to the classroom a few seconds before the bell rang. I kept my head down so no one would be able to see my eyes. I took my assigned seat next to Jessica and put head down on the desk in my arms. I felt Jessica put her hand on my back and stroked down the spine in what I assumed to be soothing strokes. I picked up my head and glared at her. I was not in the mood for her flirting today.

"Can you not?" I spat.

She looked shocked for a minute but complied to my order. Before she drew her head closer to mine and looked in to my eyes. "Are you okay?" she whispered to me.

"Do I look okay?"

"Aw, hon, whats wrong?" she cooed like a mother to her child.

I gave her an Edward glare before burying my head back down into my arms. I wanted to sleep. Badly. But I'm sort of afraid about what Jessica might do to me when I'm off my guard. Just like when she tried to make me "feel" better by that weird spine-petting thing she was doing. Like I was some sort of dog.

By lunch time I was feeling a little bit better than I was this morning. Sure, I had to run between classes and puke my guts out a couple of times, but I stuck it out. I was also able to have an actual conversation with someone. Mainly Angela and Mike, since the rest of the lot were bugging the hell out of me today. All was fine. Until..

"Edward Cullen is staring at you."

Jessica was staring intensely over my shoulder. I didn't want to look back at him. Even though I _was_ feeling better than this morning, I wasn't going to put up with his crap. "Does he look mad?" I asked her.

She furrowed her brow. "No. Why would he be?"

"I don't know, he has some kind of problem with me."

I took a peak over my shoulder. His eyes were golden again. And like Jessica said, he staring directly at me. But I decided not to let it get to me. For all I know, he could be daydreaming and just coincidentally looking in my direction. Or maybe it wasn't even me he was looking at at all. I looked over at him again. His eyes locked with mine for a brief second before I turned my head back around. Who am I trying to kid? He was staring at with painful obviation that it made the hair on my neck stand up stiff. Ir reminded me of the ending part of my dream that I had during my nap last night and tried so hard to forget.

During biology, I decided to forget about confronting Edward all together. I was just going to ignore him, but how was I suppose to now he'd make it so difficult for me to do that.

As soon as Mr. Banner had assigned us our lab for the day, he looked at me again, but this time with a small half-smile. "Hello," he said. It was the first time I actually heard his voice in person. It blew my Dream Edward's voice right out of the water. It was so smooth, like butter. No. Velvet. "I didn't get to introduce myself before. I'm Edward Cullen."

Yep. Ignoring him is going to be difficult. "Branson Swan," I whispered.

"I know," he said, "I'm pretty sure everyone knows who you are."

_Pretty sure_. That was an understatement. It was no secret that the towns latest and hottest gossip was me, the son of the chief's flighty ex-wife, had returned home. From another country no less. "Why are you talking to me?" I asked him.

He frowned. "Excuse me?"

"On my first day, you really weren't to discreet about hiding your prominent abhorrence for me."

"I'm sorry about that," he told me, "You just caught me on a bad day."

Yeah right.

"So you make me feel like some unwanted pest. Then you disappear, completely out of the blue, the day after I arrive, mind you. Then I start to feel bad because I felt like I was the reason why you left."

"You're not the reason why I left."

Bull. He was lying right to my face. I could see it in his eyes.

"Well, whatever, I just don't care any more."

Now I was lying. I did kind of care.

… Okay I cared a lot. But I wasn't going to let him no that.

He pushed the microscope on the table towards me. "You look first," he said.

I checked the first slide underneath. "Prophase."

He lifted an eyebrow as if he didn't believe me. "Mind if I take a look."

"Knock yourself out."

I watched as he forward and put his eye to the microscope. His tongue slipped out of his mouth slightly and lightly licked his lip. His pinkish red lips. I wondered if they were as rough as they were in my dream. I blushed thinking of that.

No. I wasn't suppose to think of him like that. I wasn't suppose to think of any guy like that. I was in to girls.

… Right?

Edward lifted his head and looked over at me, a small smirk played his lips like he knew some big secret about me. "Prophase."

"Like I said."

I looked him straight in the eyes again. "Do you wear contacts?" I asked him.

"No," he said with a lift of his brow, "why?"

"When we first met you eyes were black. Like there were no pupils there at all black. Today, they're some kind of gold."

He scrunched up his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Um, no. Its just the lighting in here."

We didn't talk for the rest of class, except for the exchange of answers. And when the bell ran, he was already outside the door.

I think just changed my mind again. I was going to pay more attention to him. There was something about him, his whole family, that was just off.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay. Fast update! WooHoo!<strong>

**Thank you to those who reviewed. I hope this chapter was better than the last one I put up.**

**I don't know if you can get drunk by like 3 beers. Thats not my kind of drink, so I don't know how many of those you need to drink to actually get drunk. But here, it was 2 1/2, I think I said.**

**Show of hands! Whos ever gone to school or class hungover?**

**Oh yeah, theres a picture of Branson on my profile if you want to take a good look at him.**

**Review Please.**

**Thanks,**

**.:StargazersHourglass:.**


	4. Phenomenom

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Three**

**-Phenomenon-**

My name is Branson Mitchell Swan. And I have an addiction. It has been four days, six hours, and twenty-three minutes since I last thought about something other than Edward Cullen. And it was driving me up a _freaking wall_.

I angrily dug my spoon in to my Cinnamon Toast Crunch and took a large bite. Milk dribbled off the side of my mouth as I chewed the cereal into little pieces. Charlie stared at me over the edge of his paper across table as he sipped on his coffee. I took another bite and looked directly back at him.

He sighed and put his paper down. "Sonny," I cringed at the new nickname he dubbed me with, "is there something that you like to talk about?" he asked me.

I rolled m eyes. "No dad."

He sighed. To think that he would be happy his teenaged son wouldn't want to talk about his pubescent problems. Guess I was wrong.

"You sure?"

"Alright fine. You want to talk about something?" I asked him. He nodded and I placed an innocently mischievous smile on my face. "Dad, is it weird that I look at other guys and have _feelings_?" I dragged out the last word. What worried me was that this _is_ actually something I wanted to talk about. This thing, this obsession, was pushing to the brink of self-mutilation.

...Okay. Not quite that far. But still pretty damn far none-the-less.

Charlie looked uncomfortable. His face was a sickly white and his eyebrows shot to his hairline. I faked a chuckle. "Calm down dad. I'm just yanking your chain." His shoulders slumped down and let out a breath of... relief? That stabbed me in the heart. Would he reject me if really were gay?

I looked down at my now empty cereal bowl. A better question to ask was would I reject me if I really were gay?

I heard Charlies' chair scrape across the linoleum tiles of the kitchen floor. "I got to get going," he said quietly, "I'll see you tonight for dinner." He ran out the door.

Well damn.

By the time I had gotten to school, I managed to rid off my feelings of anger towards Edward and my confusion of my possible homosexuality. Instead, I had a deep uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. My intestines felt clenched up.

I parked the truck in the parking lot by the front office. I jumped down and slung my book-bag over my arm for a moment and took out my iPod before placing the bag inside the bed of the truck. Feeling someone's eyes on me, I turned my head and saw all five of the Cullen's across the lot standing around. All were looking in different directions, except him. He kept his eyes directly on to me like he was trying to figure out what I was thinking.

I looked down at my iPod, pressed play and turned around.

That's when the day started to crumble.

Coming straight towards me was a large green van, and didn't look like it was going to be stopping any time soon. My eyes widened and I jumped, only to have my back pressed up against the truck. I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the impact. It never came, instead I felt my body being pushed down and the ear-buds fall out of my head, which smacked itself against the pavement. I looked up in to the face of Edward with a pained look on his face. Before I blacked out, I heard the sound of metal being crushed and glass breaking.

…

…...

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Those were the noises I had awakened to. The annoying pings sounded like they were shouting loudly right in to my right ear. I opened my eyes and blinked a couple of times to erase the cloudy haze from my eyes.

There I lye, in a sterile white room, on top of some sort of cot and an itchy wool blanket covering my body. I opened my mouth to call out something. Anything, really. But all that came out a low groan.

"Branson?"

I tilted my head to the left and saw Charlie sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair, his face holding nothing but relief in its features.

"Dad?" What the hell was going on?

He jumped out of the chair and grabbed me in to a tight hug. I made an oomph noise as his body collided with mine. I would've patted his back or something, but my arms were trapped within his embrace.

"I'm so happy your alright," he whispered.

"Alright Charlie, I think your son doesn't need you on top of him right after he wakes up," a new voice broke through the room. The new voice was a beautiful sound, sweet like a candy apple in the fall.

Charlie picked himself up, and I took my first look at the owner's voice. He was a beautiful man. His skin was pale and his hair was golden blonde. What really shocked me were the eyes. They were gold, just like Edwards.

"I'm just relived my son is okay, Dr. Cullen," Charlie said.

Dr._ Cullen_?

_Edward's_ father.

… Crap.

Alright. So maybe I was overreacting a little bit. As Dr. Cullen told me about my injury (mild concussion) he used a tone like he had actually cared about what happened, unlike the usual doctor who had a monotonous voice and would say things like _you have three months to live_ like they were telling someone to go to the store and pick up a gallon of milk and a pack of cigarettes. _No biggie_.

He released me about an hour later and about half of the school was sitting in the waiting room, solemn expression clear on everybody's face. Jessica, Lauren and Angela had tears in their eyes. Mike looked as though he was about to be sick and everyone else have just been silent with no emotions in their eyes and mouths clamped shut.

"Angela?" I asked.

Said girl looked up at me and threw her body in to mine. She started to sob loudly, which cause Jessica and Lauren to go off as well. "Oh! Branson! I'm so glad you're okay!"

I wrapped my arms around her and patted her back awkwardly. I never was good at comforting people. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just glad your okay?"

I laughed a little bit. "Then why are you crying?"

She sniffled and pulled away from me. "It's Tyler. He didn't make it."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

She wiped her tears on to her sleeve. "That was his van that was driving out of control. He wasn't wearing his seat belt and he flew through the windshield. Died immediately."

My mood dropped even lower. Sure, Tyler and I were never really _friends_ but he wasn't a horrible person. At most, just a pain in the ass. But, I wouldn't wish death upon him for that.

The funeral was that weekend. The whole population of Forks had shown up to grieve and to give condolences to the Crowley family. After everybody bowed their heads in respect as they lowered the body, I took a quick peek upwards. Edward Cullen was standing by the entrance of the cemetery looking right at me. Well, more likely the bandages wrapped around my head. He cocked his head and turned around. I made sure no one was looking anywhere but down and sneaked away from the crowd. He walked down the sidewalk, with his hands in the pockets of the black peacoat he wore around his body. I chased after him. "Hey!" I called. He stopped for a minute before he started walking again. "Edward! Stop!" I shouted again. This time when he stopped, he turned around and watched as I ran to catch up with him. I was panting slightly when I finally got to him.

I looked up at his face and he quirked an eyebrow. "Yes?" he said.

"How did you do it?"

There. Just come out with it. I had so many questions I needed answered. Tell me how you stopped Tyler's van. Tell me how you were able to get to me before it crashed in to me.

He frowned. "How did I do what?" His voice sounded slightly strained. He hid it well, but I still noticed it.

"Everything!" I exploded, "How did you get to me so fast? You were all the on the other side of the parking lot!"

"No, I was standing right next to you."

My brain went slightly numb. Is this ass lying to me? "No you weren't. You were all the way across the lot! And what about the van hitting me? How did you stop it?"

Edward scoffed with frustration and pinched the bridge if his nose. "You think I stopped a large vehicle from crashing in to you? Like some sort of super hero?" When I nodded, he barked a laugh. "I just pulled you out of the way."

"No you didn't!"

He placed a hand from his pocket and on to my shoulder. "Branson, you hit your head. Your head a little messed up from that day."

I brushed his arm off of me. "My head is just fine."

"Really? Cause those bandages speak otherwise."

I scowled. "You did something. I know you did. Why can't you just fess up to it?"

"Why can you not let this go."

"Because I'm lying to everyone. And I don't like doing it. So, excuse me for wanting to know why I have to do it."

"I didn't ask you to lie for me."

"You didn't have to." I sighed. "If this is about me telling anyone about what you did, I'm not going to."

He stayed silent after that. He looked at me in the face. "I saved your life. Can't you just thank me and move on from it?"

"I will thank you. But, no. I can not just move on from it or let it go. I need answers, Edward. And you are the only one I can get them from."

He glared down at me. "Well, I hope you enjoy disappointment." With those last words, he turned around and kept on walking.

And the worst part about this wasn't that I didn't get my answers.

I just let him go. And for some reason, it made me feel distressed.

Back at home, I barged my way to my bedroom. I think Charlie realized that there was something wrong with me, but decided to give me space about it. I thought over everything that gone on in the last week. It was begging to become a problem. A very unhealthy problem. I know for a fact that it is not good to think about something so much.

Screw it.

I went downstairs and grabbed a beer. I'm drink until my problems disappear.

Screw Edward. Screw the Cullen family. Screw my feelings and thoughts about my sexuality. Screw it all.

But, I guess that you can't drink all of your problems away every time life gets too difficult. Since, once again, I had another peculiar dream about Edward Cullen. And this time, I didn't really care.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm so sorry that it's so short. But not much goes on in this chapter and I couldn't think of anything new to put in... Well... anything more new then what I already came up with.<strong>

**Yeah, I killed off Tyler. He always kind of bugged me. So I thought why not? You know? Spoiler!: Just a warning, other's may die in this fiction. And I'm not just talking about James... if he dies at all. ;)**

**Oh, and last chapter about the whole "Jacobs Teeth" thing, I just love Taylor Lautner's teeth and smile. But, Hot Damn. It's like perfect... Sorry. I'm not usually the "gushing" type.**

**Who went to see the picture of Branson? Don't you just want to fold him up in your pocket? Lol.**

**I started a playlist for this fic. I haven't put it on my profile yet becuase I'm still deciphering about what to use. If you have any suggestions, I'm open to hear them.**

**So.. Here we go. Review it please! Positive. Constructive. The usual.**

**.:StargazersHourglass:.**


	5. Invitations

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Four**

**-Invitations-**

_His skin glowed brightly against the dark slate of night. His back was to me and he kept walking forward._

"_Edward!" I called out. He did not stop._

"_Edward!"_

"_Edward!"_

"_EDWARD!"_

_But still he did not stop. He kept getting smaller and smaller before disappearing all together in the darkness._

Have you ever had a repeated nightmare? One where no matter how many times you try and change the actions the ending is always the same. Hurt. Heartbreak. Disappointment. In the end, all you feel is sadness and pain.

Ever since the night of the incident, the night Tyler Crowley died, I haven't had a decent nights sleep, nor a decent dream along with it. No happily ever after or gallivanting in a field full of daisies in to the golden sunset... not that I dream like that either.

Back in school, I seemed to grown even more popular in this town. Lord knows why, aside from the incident (my near-death experience), I'm not really that interesting of a person. And to make matters worse, Lauren has been clinging to me ever since I set foot in school that day. The irritating blonde's arm clutched on to mine when we walked down the hallways. When I walked out of first period imagine my surprise when I saw her again, standing outside of the classroom, scoping out for me.

… Why me?

Rumors started flying all over the place. I'd listen in on a few conversations while sitting in class before the bell rang or while standing at my locker. So far, my favorite is we went to see each other after Tyler's funeral and she managed to seduce me with her comfort. It made me chuckle.

Jessica was acting like a pissed off girlfriend the entire day. She refused to look at me the entire day, although I could tell she was trying not to burst open and ask all of answers to the questions shes dieing to know.

Many had come up to me telling me that they're happy I didn't end up like Tyler Crowley and how blessed I must be to still be alive. I had this conversation with Angela before Spanish class.

"Really, the only reason why I'm alive is because of Edward," I told her.

"Cullen?" she asked. When I nodded, she looked shocked. "I didn't know he was involved at all."

"Yeah. We were arguing about the differences between old-fashioned music and modern music when he saw the van coming at me. He managed to pull me out of the way before it was able to hit me."

No matter how many times I told this story, nobody recognized Edward as the hero that he was. And like Angela, not a lot of people knew he was even involved in the first place. And to make matters worse, he was ignoring me once again. My first day back, I sat down in biology, and of course he had beaten me there. I said hello like on my first day in Forks, he turned his head and cocked a small nod at me. It beats the withering glare at least.

I didn't know what his problem was with me. He avoided me in anyway possible. Dodging me in the hallways, sitting at the edge of the table so he would not be anywhere near me. But, it... hurt. Like a stab to the chest every time. A small blow but enough of a puncture for me to slowly bleed to my death.

I come to the conclusion that he regretted saving my life. And even now that I knew this, I still felt eternally grateful. I owe him my life, even if he doesn't want it. Still no matter, I continued watching him. His golden eyes grew perceptibly darker day by day. However, I started to take a page out of his book. Sitting in class, for the weeks following I pretended like he didn't exist either. I would scoot to my corner of the desk and not even look in his general direction.

It really sucked.

I talked to Renee later that night. She sounded distressed. "Why aren't you answering my e-mails?" she all but screamed in my ear, "And when exactly were you going to tell me about you being sent in to the hospital after a car accident?"

I cringed at that. "Who told you about that?"

"Your father told me."

Damn him. "It was nothing major. I didn't want to worry you."

"Nothing major!" she broke off from the conversation muttering, "telling me my baby boy is in the hospital with a concussion is _nothing major_. Who does he think he is?"

"He thinks your still on the phone with him," I said, "Why don't you chew dad out about this? I mean I _did _have a concussion. I wasn't exactly willed enough to make a phone call or shoot an e-mail."

"Oh, I did," she spat, "But you didn't let me know how you were after you were feeling better either." I stayed silent. Crap. She he me there. And she knew it. "Got you," she snarled like a hunter.

"Mom, relax," I told her, "I'm fine."

"Fine. Yeah right. I'll believe it when I see it. I want you to come down and see me."

She wanted me to come back to her? Even if I really wanted to, which I'm not saying I don't, that would make me miss out on some value Secret-Edward-Stalking time. "I can't really mom," I told her, "I mean I can't miss any school and there are just some things going on..." I trailed off vaguely for her to fill in the blanks.

Her tone changed almost immediately. "Is it a girl?" she squealed excitedly.

I had to give her credit, she wasn't always so perceptive, even if she was a little off. "Yeah... something like that."

"Tell me everything! What's her name? What does she look like? Does she-"

"Mom! It's nothing really. Besides, uhm, _she_ doesn't really like me anyway."

"Well, I'm sure that's not true."

We hung up after she began to gush about how cute and handsome I was with the excuse of having to get some homework done. I love her, but I have to figure out some way to avoid her enough so she wouldn't be suspicious of me being disappointed and grieving like an elderly widowed lover.

It was the first Tuesday in March where I got my next awkward (well for me anyway) phone call. Mike had called me in the early evening while I was preparing dinner for Charlie and myself. He greeted me with his boisterous voice and the horrendous nickname he had dubbed me with. "Yo, B, wa'sup man?"

I rolled my eyes. Typical Mike greeting. "Nothing really. Just fixing some dinner for my dad."

I heard him snort on his end. "_Fixing Dinner_. What are you? A woman? Are making him a nice little sandwich?" he taunted.

"What did you want Mike?" I asked him before he would take this to far.

"Oh yeah!" he brightened his voice, "I need to ask you a question."

"Shoot."

"I was wondering if you'd mind me asking Jessica to the dance," he told me.

Mind? "Why would I mind?" I asked him.

"Well, its just," he blew out a breath, "you two are always kind of together, you know? I just wanted to make sure that you weren't going to ask her. In case you guys were going to go together I didn't want to make things... weird," he paused for a second, "it wouldn't be weird would it?" He sounded nervous.

"N-no," I said, "zero weirdness what-so-ever. Go for it. I mean really. _Go for it_."

I would love it if he would get that leech off of my back. Hell, I'd be eternally grateful.

"Thanks! I mean really man. I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it. Really, I don't think I'm even going to go to the dance."

"Why not?"

A pregnant pause. "You've seen me in gym right?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. I guess I can see that." He stayed silent before he spoke up again. "Can I ask you something else?"

"You just did," I joked.

He laughed. "Did you really say that? Dude, how lame," my mouth twitched up, "Seriously though, what's going on between you and Edward Cullen?"

Damn that name.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well a while ago, I saw you guys starting to get all buddy-buddy with each other. Then after Ty.. Tyler's death you two just seem to have some-sort-of mutual dislike for each other."

"I don't know. I really don't know."

We had to hang up since I heard Charlie walk through the door and hanging his belt up on the hook. After dinner, I went up to bed early. But I swear, the entire night even in my sleep I felt someone watching me.

The next day I had asked Mike if he talked to Jessica yet. He told me that she said she needed to _think about it_. What the hell does that mean? Not a lot of people would want to date a blabber mouth like her, so why would she pass it up?

"So, um, Branson, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the dance with me?"

Sitting down at the lunch table that was the last thing I had expected to be asked. Seriously, If I was drinking something, I probably would have spit it out of my mouth. Jessica looked at me with wide and hopeful eyes. I glanced over at Mike who had a rather noticeable frown on his face.

"Excuse me?"

"I asked if you wanted to go to the dance with me."

I heard Lauren scoff under her breath and a few of the guys chuckle quietly at my reaction. I looked over at Mike again. That was a real bitch move asking me in front of someone who had already asked her.

"Um. How about no?" I told her.

I don't know what was more amusing. The look on her face at my answer or the choking Eric was doing on his milk from what I said. Either way, it makes me look like an ass.

"What?" she said.

"I said no." I told her.

Her jaw dropped. "Why not?" she whined, offended.

"For one thing, I don't like you that much," everyone in the room was now looking at me, "Secondly, I know Mike asked you, tell him maybe, then you turn around and ask me in front of him. Lastly, I won't even be in town that night. I'm going to Seattle with my dad."

"What?"

"Did I mention that I didn't like you either?"

She looked like she was about to cry.

Goddammit. Why am I such a prick?

I heard laughter around the cafeteria and a few disgusted scoffs in my direction. She ran out and I saw Angela go out after her. I looked back and say Lauren, her so called best friend, clutching her stomach making snorting noises while she laughed.

Looks like I'm not the only douche around.

I peeked over at the Cullen table. I saw Emmett and Rosalie laughing. Alice looked disgusted, but had an amused twinkle in her eye. Jasper smirk wickedly. And Edward... his expression was unreadable. He was looking at me in his usual blank face.

I felt extremely guilty though. Like, over-the-top guilt that was spilling out from my ears. I don't know what compelled me to go after Jessica, but I did anyways.

I found her in one of the girls bathrooms. Her sobs were loud and could be heard from outside the door. I could hear Angela trying to comfort her.

Man, I'm a real jerk. Beyond jerk. I'm the king jerk of all jerks. Sure, she as annoying, but I really shouldn't have said the things I had said to her.

Building up my courage, I walked through the door to the girls bath. She was cowering in the corner, her head buried in Angela's shoulder. I looked over at Angela and I almost crapped myself. She was giving me the nastiest glare I have ever seen. I bit down on my lip. I've never seen her, miss Angela Weber golden child of Forks and minister's daughter, look so pissed before.

"Jessica," I said. There was a waver in my voice.

She looked over at me. Tears streaked her face and ruined the makeup on her face. She moved her head back in to Angela. "What?" I heard her moan. It was muffled, but still easy to comprehend.

I swallowed a large lump in my throat. "I'm really sorry about what I said back there," I told her, "I haven't been having a good day and I guess that I kind of took it out on you."

Okay, maybe I wasn't having a bad day exactly. I got an **A** on my math test and wasn't pestered with thoughts about Edward Cullen. But, a little white lie won't hurt. It's not like she'll ever know. Plus it'll make her feel better.

I looked over at Angela and her twisted-angry face softened, but was still there. I probably look more ashamed about my actions then I actually felt about it.

Jessica lifted her head and looked at me. Her eyes smudged black by the liner she wore. She sniffled. "But you said you didn't like me."

I took a deep breath. "I meant I didn't like you anything more than a friend," _if that_, "but I really am sorry for what I did..." I trailed off, "And for calling you a bitch." I tacked on.

She left Angela's arms and stood back up. She wiped her nose on her arm.

… Ew.

She walked in front of me and looked me in the eye. "I guess I'm sorry too," she said, "It was a bitchy thing to do to Mike and I guess I kind of deserved it."

"No you didn't," I told her.

"Yeah, I know."

I cracked a small smile. So she actually has a some-what normal sense of humor. She wrapped her arms around me and I stiffened in her arms. I don't and never did like human-to-human contact. I barely let my own mother pass with it sometimes, but guess she did deserve this. I awkwardly hugged her back and patter her shoulder blades a few times. She gave me a smile and looked back at Angela. "Can you give me a ride home?" she asked her.

Angela nodded and Jessica walked around me. Angela went to follow her out the door but stopped and looked back at me. "That was a real slick move you made there today," she said in a dry voice. I looked down at my feet. "But," she continued, I looked back up, "it was nice of you to come after her." She gave me a trademarked Angela Weber shy smile and followed her friend outside.

I breathed softly and walked out the door. I jumped back in surprise when I saw Edward standing on the other wall, looking at me. I scurried away before he even had the chance t say anything. If he was going to say anything.

But nothing stopped him from talking to me after Biology was finished. "I heard what you said to Jessica Stanley today," he had said. The first sentenced he uttered to me in weeks.

I looked at him. "Didn't everybody?"

"I meant when you ran into the bathroom she was in," he stopped and I didn't say anything back, "that was nice of you."

"I didn't do it to be nice," I told him, "I did it because I was an ass to her and she did deserve an apology out of me."

"Still, not many people in this town would do that." We stayed quiet for a while as we both walked down the hallways together. I could feel everyone's eyes watching me. "And still in the matter of apologizing, I should probably do the same." I stopped and looked at him expectantly. "I'm sorry as well, for ignoring for the past couple of weeks."

"Why did you?" I whispered.

"I just think It would be the best if we just don't be friends," he said cryptically.

What the hell is that suppose to mean? "Huh?"

"I just don't think it would be smart for us to get close."

My head as spinning. Is this him trying to be nice about telling me that he didn't like me. "So why did you save my life then?" I asked harshly before storming away then.

I heard him say "what" before coming after me. He grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. "What do you mean why did I save your life?"

I shook my head and laughed humorlessly. "I'm saying why did you do it. It would save you from all of this... this... regret your feeling because of it."

I went to walk away put he kept his hand clenched on to me. "You think I regret saving your life?"

"I know you do."

I pushed his hand off before going to gym. Coach Clapp tortured me through a game of basketball where I must have hit at least six different people in the head more than once. My thoughts were to consumed of the things Edward had said after Biology.

"_I just think It would be the best if we just don't be friends," he said cryptically._

"_I just don't think it would be smart for us to get close."_

"_You think I regret saving your life?"_

My thoughts were still swirling as I walked out to my truck. I just needed this day to be over and done with. But, unfortunately, fate had other plans installed for me.

Lauren Mallory sat in the bed of my truck with her legs crossed and what I guessed to what she thought to be a sexy smile both on her mouth and in her eyes.

… She looked like she was either constipated or in mid-orgasm.

Either way it was disgusting.

"Hey there Branson," she said, dragging each word out in a suggestive tone.

"Hey Lauren. Whats up?" I asked.

She jumped off the Chevy and walked over to me adding on an extra sway of her hips with each step. She placed a hand on my chest before looking me in the eyes. "I just wanted to talk to you about what happened at lunch today," she leaned over to my ear, "so hot," she whispered.

How was that _hot_?

"I love how aggressive you got. Completely turned me on." She swung her other arm around on to my shoulder.

Who does she think she is touching me like this?

I awkwardly pushed her away from me. "Correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't Jessica your best friend? I screamed at her today and you decide to come on to me?"

Weirdo.

She let out an obnoxious laugh. "Oh Branson," she said, "Jessica. She's just a little girl. I use her to occupy my time. I'm a woman, Branson," she tried to pull me to her again, "A woman with needs."

I jumped away from her.

Forget about weirdo. This chick is completely psychotic.

"Yeah, no," I told her, "I don't like you either."

She looked stunned. I took that as my opportunity to escape her evil clutches. I closed the door of the bed of my truck and ran to the drivers seat. I started the old engine and looked out my mirror. I saw Edward laughing in my direction before getting in to his car. I rolled my eyes. I'll be mad about that later. After I took a shower. I felt all... dirty.

I pull out of my spot and start to drive away, only to get cut off by that stupid Volvo. I scowled in irritation and looked in to his side mirror to see him laughing at me again. Christ, this guy bugged me.

I slammed down on my horn and saw him start to laugh even more. Douche-bag.

Lauren took this as another opportunity to get in to my pants. She knocked on my window hardly. I sighed and rolled down the window. She leaned forward and gave me a good look at her chest. "Branson," she said sweetly, "Come on, babe. Just take me to the dance next weekend and let's see where it will go from there."

I rubbed my head. "No. Besides, I told Jessica that I was going to Seattle that day and I won't be back until early the next morning."

"Would you like-"

"No thank you."

I saw Edward drive away and I floored the gas, not caring how it would affect the car or if I ran over the girl's foot. I needed to get out of there.

Later that night when I told Charlie about my plans to go to Seattle, he looked as though he was worried about something. He expressed his concerns and told about the random animal killings that was going on around there. I had a bit of fear in my mind, but pushed it aside. I had to get out of this town for a bit before I jumped off a cliff.

The next day at school, I parked as far away from Edward Cullen in the parking lot. I don't care about what he had said yesterday about not being friends or whatever. I'm sticking to my guns and I will ignore him. I will ignore him dammit.

I dropped my keys as I jumped out of the Chevy. I swore silently and bent down to pick them up, only to have the swept away by a pale hand seconds before I could. I stood up and looked at the one person who I really didn't want to deal with. He was throwing my keys up in the air and caching them again smiling smugly at me.

"What do you want Edward?"

"I wanted to let you know, that I purposely caused that traffic jam yesterday. It looked as though Lauren wanted to say more to you and I wanted to give her a fair shot."

This guy is going to die a very painful death.

His lips quirked.

"Do you enjoy agitating me?"

"Only sometimes." At least he's honest. "Look, on the day of the dance, I just so happen to be heading up to Seattle as well."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

He nodded and smirk. "Really."

"Okay, hold up now," I said, "I thought you didn't want to be my friend."

"I never said I didn't _want _to be your friend... I just think it would be more _prudent_ if we weren't."

I looked him in the eyes. They were a light gold again and they just seemed to draw me in somehow. Not being able to say a word, I nodded my head. He chuckled deeply and winked at me with his right eye before walking off.

Oh crappy hell, what did I just get myself into?

* * *

><p><strong>I banged out another chapter for you. :)<strong>

**I worked on this for hours during the week and I am exhausted.**

**I have an idea for a _Suite Life series_ fic. If I were to write it, would anyone read it? Yes? No? Maybe so?**

**I started the playlist. So far I have 3 songs and they are on my profile. I'm still open to suggestions for the list. If theres a song that you might think would be good for the fic, let me know.**

**Anyway, review please. **

**.:StargazersHourglass:.**


	6. Blood Type

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Five**

**-Blood Type-**

Monday morning was a real drag for me. It had started out with Charlie deciding that he enjoys waking me up in the morning before he left for work and doesn't try at all to hide it. He thought it would be proficient to dump a bucket of cold water over my head.

"What the hell?" I screamed. He was bent over, arms over his stomach laughing at me. "Dad?"

His stood up, his face red all over. "Sorry Sonny," ugh, that name, "but it was just too good of an opportunity. We never joke around like dads and their sons should."

"You mean like Jacob and Billy?" I asked him, disbelieving on what he had just pulled. Last night, the two of them came over again and were pulling practical jokes on each other. Charlie must have gotten some kind of inspiration or some crap over that.

He smiled. "Yeah! Exactly!"

"Dad, we're not Jake and Billy. They have senses of humor. _We don't_," I stressed, "and dumping a bucket of water on my head while I was sleeping wasn't even remotely funny."

He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck. "At least you got a shower out of it."

From there everything had just started to get worse for me. Lauren Mallory had decided to continue in stalking me, earning her glares from Jessica. I guess she still has those feeling even though I hurt her badly. Or maybe it was because it was her best friend and she had already asked me out. I was hoping for the latter.

But things were looking up at Spanish class. Angela had started to talk to me again without any hostility. Her smile was sweet the entire time and her calm and cool voice had returned. "So are you coming this weekend?" she asked me.

"Pardon?"

She laughed. "This weekend were going down to he beach in La Push. Are you coming with us?"

I had vaguely recalled Mike telling me about something about the beach and the reservation, but I hadn't really been paying any attention. I was too busy thinking of... him. I smiled at Angela. "Yeah. Of course I am."

She smiled back at me. She turned and started having a discussion with Ben Cheney, a boy the size of a chipmunk with round, thick-framed glasses. I hadn't noticed him until a couple of weeks ago, when I was talking with Angela. He's a face that doesn't really stick out in the crowd. But when I felt eyes on me, I immediately looked behind me, thinking it was Edward. But he wasn't in this class. Then I turned to look over my other shoulder and I saw him looking right at me. His eyes held the most anger and jealousy I have ever seen in a person. But what was there to be angry at and jealous of?

You know the saying what goes up must come down? The law of physics or some genre of science. When you throw a ball up in the air and catch it, you really don't think about it. But when it starts to happen figuratively, you start to analyze it. I never really thought about how true it was until now.

Sitting on the way other side of the cafeteria, was Edward. I was curious as to why he wasn't sitting with his family. Maybe they had some kind of falling out. But I started to worry when he cocked his index finger at me and beckoned to join him. Alone.

"What is that about?" Jessica asked me.

I shrugged. "Maybe he just wants to discuss something about biology," I reasoned.

My eyes stayed locked on with his the entire walk to the table that held nothing, except for my current obsession.

"You know," I told him as I sat down and dropped my books on the table, "Your mood swings are really starting to give me whiplash."

He shrugged innocently. "Sorry," he said. His voice sounded like it was drenched in honey.

"I thought you told me to stay away from you."

"And I told you, I'm tired of trying to stay away," he looked away from me and then back in to my eyes, "If I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."

I had wondered what he meant by that. I stayed silent and watched him. Almost like I could almost see through him. I felt some kind of connection with him.

He pulled an apple out of his bag. "Eat," he said. I obliged.

But I didn't know if that connection was a good or bad thing.

"You know," he said breaking me from me hard stare, "I am really good at reading people." I raised an eyebrow waiting for him to finish. It was obvious that he wanted to say more. "But sometimes, I really can't get a read on you. Every time I think I have you nailed, you do something else, taking me completely off guard and surprising me even more."

"Have you ever thought maybe it was just me?" I asked, "Maybe I'm doing it on purpose," I shrugged, "My mom says I was always difficult."

"Speaking of which," he said, "why did you decide to move here?"

I bit my lip. Hard. I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell him. It was rather personal. But the way looked at me, like I looked at him, I couldn't help but to spill just about everything.

"My parents divorced when I was young. My mom was having an affair with one of the doctors at the hospital I was born at shortly after she had me," I paused, "never mind doctor. He was more like an intern. There wasn't much of an age gap between them. My parents married at eighteen and had me at nineteen.

"My mother couldn't stand living in a small town any more. When her... boyfriend finished his internship he had to move back to London. She went with him, taking me with her.

"I never got to know my dad. Sure, he payed child support, called me on occasion, sent birthday gifts. But I never really got to know him. So I moved in with him."

I felt a little guilty about yelling at Charlie earlier. The whole reason I came here was to build a relationship with him and that is just what he was trying to do.

Edward stared at me. His hand started to move along the table. Just about when it was going to touch mine he quickly withdrew it.

I couldn't ignore the disappointment that swept through me. It was like a heavy boulder crashed on to my shoulders. It was almost painful not to have him touch me.

The shrill of the bell echoed throughout the room. Students started to gather up their belongings and throwing away the last bit of their lunches before clearing out. I stood up and gathered up my books. Edward stayed in his chair. "Are you coming to biology?" I asked him.

His smile made my spine tingle. "No. Its healthy to ditch every now and then."

I rolled my eyes. "Suit yourself."

It felt off sitting at my lab bench without Edward. Mike had decided to take his place and sat down next to me. "Did Jess give you an answer yet?" I asked him.

He nodded. "She said she would go with me, but I uninvited her."

I furrowed my brow. "Why? I thought you liked her."

"I did... do. But why go after someone who obviously wants someone else." He gave me a pointed look.

My face flushed. I started to feel guilty. "Mike,"

"Don't," he stopped me, "It isn't completely you fault. I mean who could _not_ fall for a short guy with a British accent." He smirked when I glared at him. Like having either was my choice.

Mr. Banner had decided to grace us with his presence about five minutes after the bell rang. He made some excuse about having to take care of a problem in the teacher's lounge with a rather virtuous and amusement tone like it was some big secret. A good secret, for him anyways.

"Today," Mr. Banner said, "We will be blood typing."

I groaned on the inside. I never was the type of person to be able to handle blood greatly. I watched as Mr. Banner showed us all how to prick our fingers and get the blood on to the small slide. I winced as he jammed the needle in to the tip of Mike's finger. While everybody got started, Mike sat down next to me and showed me the blood gushing out of his middle finger. I could feel my face pale considerably. A bile rose up in my throat. My vision got cloudy and slightly spiny as I watched Mike's blood soaked in to the small square of gauze wrap.

"B?" I heard Mike. The stool he sat in screeched as he jumped out and came back with Mr. Banner. Someone's hand lifted my head upwards slowly and Mr. Banner was looking at me in the eyes. "Well," he mused, "There is always the one in the crowd."

He assigned Mike to help me down to the Nurse's office. One of my arms was slung over his shoulder while he held me at the waist. He kept asking me if I was alright, over and over again. I gathered the most sinister glare I could muster up, and gave it him right in the eye. It was to great though. Or maybe it made me look like I was actually in more pain than I was leading on. Because all he did was frown at me even deeper at me than before and start to coo at me like I was some little child who fell off of his bike and needed my daddy to come and kiss it better.

"Yes, Mike," I groaned out, "I'm fine. Just get me to the," I was cut off short when he let go of me and almost dropped me completely. My arm around his neck was loose and slipped off of him like it was a buttery surface. I think that I would have fallen down flat on my face if it was for someone in front of his who caught me.

My savior.

The bare arms were very pale and as hard and cold as newly-installed marble inside an air-conditioned mansion of a house. Normally, I wouldn't think nothing of it. It's Forks Washington, possibly one of the coldest and dreariest places in the world. If someone didn't have any kind of sleeves covering their arms, yeah, they would be cold. And they would be hard if the were muscular. That was normal.

But, then, I looked up in to the golden eyes of my savior.

The golden eyes of Edward Cullen.

And I knew, that nothing in the least bit, that there was nothing normal about Edward Cullen.

"What is going on here?" he asked. He heaved me up like I was nothing at all and leaned my body against his bigger one.

Mike glared at him. He never liked Edward, always claiming that he was a "weirdo". "I was just taking _my_ _friend_ to the Nurse's Office," he stated. He looked Edward up and down before setting his eyes on me again for a brief moment. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be in Banner's class right now?"

I felt Edward shrug. "I ditched."

Mike grabbed and pulled me by the arm, sending my stumbling against him. My head spun in circles. "Well that's great," he said to Edward, "But I have to get B here to the nurse before he collapses." He started to drag me along with him, but stopped abruptly when I felt a hand clamp down on to my shoulder. The grip was firm. In fact, it was so firm, that it stopped both Mike and I in our places.

"That isn't really necessary. I'm already out of class. There's no reason for both of us to miss the lesson. Why don't you go back and I'll take him."

Both Mike and I looked up at Edward. He had a look on his face that said that were not going to be any room for arguments. And before my friend could say anything, before I could even blink, I was back in his clutches, his arms behind my back and knees, like I was a freaking princess-bride and walked away from Mike, ignoring the loud protests that he was making.

We stayed quiet for the most part. I had no idea were the Nurse was, so I just had to trust him. "So what happened?" he asked. I felt his chest rumble and quake as he spoke, "When I saw Newton dragging you, I though he had killed you and was dragging your corpse in to the woods to get rid of it."

I didn't find it amusing.

"Biology. Blood makes me sick."

"Looking at blood makes you sick?"

"No, not the sight, the smell."

"The smell? You can't smell blood."

I glared up at him. "Don't tell me what I can and cannot smell." We stayed silent before I chose to speak up again. "I guess you were right," I told him.

"I usually am. But what was I right about this time?"

"Skipping class every now and then is healthy."

We, he, continued on walking. "What do you have next?"

"Gym. Why?"

"No reason."

I kept my head down the entire... ride. Finally looking up when set me to my feet and slung on of his arms around me. I glared at the building in front of me as he opened the door for me. "This is the main office," I hisses at him. I was a new student, a foreign student, I'll give him that. But I was not stupid.

"Just calm down," he told me. He pushed me down on to one of the chairs against the wall. "Just trust me. Now sit there and try to look pale."

I snorted. Like I would have to try.

I looked up and watched as he talked with Mrs. Cope, she was staring at him like she was a hungry lion and he was a fresh piece of steak. It made me chortle.

But the expression dropped before she glanced over at me with a sad, sympathetic smile. That made me smile a little when she looked back at Edward. She was a creepy woman, but she was very sweet to care like that.

"Do you mind if I turn the radio on?" he asked me. We were in his car, the flashy Volvo, as he was able to convince Mrs. Cope to take me home for the rest of the day. I shook my head and he turned a knob and pushed a couple of buttons.

_Clare de Lune_

I recognized the tune the moment it started through the speakers. "Debussy?" I asked him.

He looked over at me and raised a brow. "You know Debussy?"

I nodded. "Yeah. My mom liked playing old music around the house while I was a kid. I guess it always just kind of stuck with me," I told him.

"You're an old soul," he commented.

"Funny you say that. I kind of daydream – _sometimes_ – about living in the 1920's."

He chuckled. "Why the 20's?"

"I don't know. Everything in that decade is just so crazy and carefree. I just sometimes wish life now-a-days were more like that."

"Well, I happen to think that you would make a cute little flapper," he teased.

I glared at him, before softening my look in to just a curious gaze. This man, guy, beast, whatever he is, he sure doesn't act like it. Maybe it's just a facade. But, he seems so genuine about everything when he speaks. I'll just have to figure that out later. But right now, my challenge was to figure out _what_ he was before who or who he was pretending to be.

"What?" he asked me.

Of course he would notice me staring at him. I might has well has been open-mouthed and panting.

"I'm just trying to figure out what you are," I told him honestly.

He chuckled. "What I am?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"A few theories."

"Like?"

I smile jokingly. "Bitten by a radioactive spider?"

He laughed softy. "No."

"Kryptonite?"

I saw him shake his head. "Wasn't Kryptonite Superman's weakness?" he asked, "And no, I'm not a super hero, if that is what you were trying to get at."

I faked a frown and teased a bit with my next sentence. "Damn, and I was so sure."

He pulled up to Charlie's house. The two of us sat there, neither one saying a word. It wasn't in any way uncomfortable, just a a tranquil and serene silence.

He broke it.

"What if I'm not the hero?" he asked.

"What d-"

He cut me off quickly. "What if I'm not the hero?" he paused again, "What if I'm... the bad guy."

I turned my head and looked at his flawless face. He wasn't looking at me, nor was he looking at anything in particular. He just stared straight ahead in to the forest. His amber colored eyes were blank and he was in that mysterious you-must-figure-out-what-I'm-thinking Edwardian mood of his.

Finally finding my voice, I placed my hand on top of his were it rest on the gear of the car. He was still cold. I uttered these words to him. The very words which I was absolutely positive that he needed to hear. Not from just anyone. From me. And that made my heart swell pleasurably.

"You're not the bad guy."

And that was the most open and honest truthful statement that I could make to him. He wasn't a bad guy.

Not even in the slightest bit.

* * *

><p><strong>I know that the wait was awhile, but I gave like four chapters in like, what, 5 days? I was taking a small break for a few days.<strong>

**You know the drill. I only got 3 reviews last chapter. It made me sad. The more reviews that I get, the more likely I am to get inspired to write more. Not that I'm not thankful for all the alerts and favorites I keep getting. But, please take like thirty seconds to say "good job" or whatever. I don't want to push, but I would really apreciate it.**

**If you didn't know it, I posted a oneshot! It's an Emmett/Edward smut if that will help temp you more to read it. ;)**

**.:StargazersHourglass:.**


	7. Scary Stories

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Six**

**-Scary Stories-**

I massaged my temples as Charlie continued to lecture me about "beach safety". I should have had Mike or someone come and pick me up.

"And don't forget to put on sunscreen. I don't want to hear you moan and bitch about burns and I really

don't think I can handle _rubbing lotion_ in the places you can't reach because you're in too much pain," he said.

Nice to know he loves me.

"Not that I don't love you and would do just about anything for you. Just anything but that."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah dad, I'm not to keen on letting you rub my body either," I told him.

We continued on as he kept on jabbering. This is the longest that I have ever heard him talk at once in the whole time I've been over here.

For the rest of the ride, I ignored him. Instead I thought back to Friday after Edward had dropped me off at home. I had invited him to go to the beach with me today, but he got all weird about it. I just knew it was part of whatever it was he was hiding. What his family was hiding. From me. From the whole world. Everyone has their own skeletons in the closet. And I was going to drag them out, no matter what.

I rushed out of the cruiser as soon as Charlie pulled in to Newton Outfitters. Everyone from our little clique had been leaning against Mike's mom's minivan the she had lent us to drive down there. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room to fit everyone in to their own seats. And me being the smallest, I had to sit down in someone's lap. Lauren had eagerly offered for me to sit in hers. But from the frantic look on my face, Mike and Eric chuckled lowly while Angela politely offered her lap, earning me a sharp glare from Ben Cheney.

The ride was a bit... awkward to say the least. Everyone was talking in the car. Okay, that's a lie. It was more like me on top of Angela, her face turning red every time we hit a pothole and I bounced on her. Lauren glaring at Angela. Ben Cheney glaring at me. Jessica staring at Mike lustfully. And Mike and Eric trying to loosen the tension by making small talk.

It didn't work to well. I would rather be back in the cruiser with Charlie talking about the right way to apply sunscreen.

Luckily things had become better at the beach.

Well, they were.

Lauren went to work on her "tan", even though it is completely obvious she goes somewhere to get it sprayed on I mean she was orange for hells sake, and naturally Jessica followed, occasionally looking up to check out a shirtless Mike. The guys were all in the water horsing around. Then that left me and Angela. I had offered her to walk along the shore with me and she agreed, happy for finding something to keep her occupied.

"So how are things going? I haven't talked to you much since our little confrontation in the ladies room," she said winking at me.

"I've been better," I told her. This whole Edward thing was really getting at me. Even talking with Angela, a very pretty girl, my mind was on him. Edward. A guy. Man. Whatever.

"What's wrong?" she asked me.

"Things have just been... complicated. I have so much going on in my head. It has me going completely bonkers."

"Like what?"

I knew I shouldn't have done it. I mean, what was I thinking? I knew I needed to figure my feelings out. I just didn't expect to go so low to get the answers. I'm sure, no, positive, somewhere down the line in my future I am going to stake this as the biggest mistake I ever made.

I stopped suddenly, turned and looked at her. She looked at me too, an eyebrow arched on her forehead and a slight frown on her face. I stood up upon my tip-toes, grabbed the back of her head by the hair and moved her face to mine.

Our lips crashed together. Yep, all four of them.

She tasted sweet, like strawberry lipgloss. I moved my lips against her roughly as she stood, frozen. Completely and utterly frightened. Confused? I didn't really know what she was feeling.

But the worst part of it. For me anyways. I didn't feel a thing. No sparks, no lust. Just an empty pair of lips. I was hoping for the butterflies to begin to flutter inside of me like when I think about Edward Cullen and his golden eyes.

I pushed her away and looked in to her eyes. Embarrassment, anger, and confusion laced in the dark brown coloring.

"I am so sorry," I told her.

With that I had ran away like the big coward I was. I stumbled a bit when I saw we had an audience all of our friends had been watching what happened, making me fluster. I decided to continue on with my cowardlyness and kept on running, ignoring Mike and Eric calling out for me and Lauren shrieking like banshee.

I ignored them all. Just kept on running and running and running.

Apparently the shore of First Beach was right off of the outskirts of La Push. I stopped when I saw a small house that was very familiar to me.

Flashes of Jacob and I playing in the mud played through my mind. I saw an old truck out in front of the garage that attached to the house. Jacob and Billy's house.

Thank goodness.

I opened the screen door and pounded the real door loudly and rapidly. After sixty seconds, the annoyed face of Jacob appeared, switching almost immediately to shock when he saw the it was me at his door.

"Branson? What are you doing here?" he asked me.

"It's a long story. Can I come in?"

He nodded and moved aside for me to go in. I reached in to my pocket and pulled out my phone. I had missed calls and unread text messages from Mike, Eric, and Jessica. I quickly shut the cellphone down and placed it back in the pocket of my board shorts.

"Branson, whats wrong?"

I now dreaded those two words. Whats wrong. _Whats wrong._ **Whats wrong**. My now two most hated words that were in the English language.

My mind was still wrapping around it. I can't believe that I did that!

"Did what?" Jacob asked me.

Damn. I didn't realize I was talking out loud.

But I did. I did just that and then spilled just about everything to Jacob. About Edward. About Angela. Jessica. My theories. My feelings. My confusion. I just kept piling out. It was like I was vomiting out words. I'm surprised I didn't start blabbering nonsense to him.

And he listened to me. Each and every word with out saying anything.

When I finished, I was panting like a dog. He stood up and left the room. I heard the faucet in the kitchen running and he came back with a glass of water in his hand. He gave it to me and I downed it eagerly.

He helped me so much too.

He had told me about the legends of his tribe. About wolves and the cold ones. I tuned in on every detail. The more he told me about these cold ones, the more and more I had started comparing them to, not only Edward, but all of the Cullens that I have met so far. It was insane.

As for my sexuality problems, he wasn't quite sure what to say to that. But that didn't matter at the moment. No matter how girly it sounds, he sat there and listened to me. Not a lot of people have done that for me before. I haven't done that to a lot before either. But for some reason, I trusted him completely.

Then I did something that surprised us both. I jumped and threw my arms around him, hugging his body close to mine. He tensed at first, but eventually loosened up and gave one back to me. "You're not going to kiss me too, are you?" he joked. I didn't laugh. I was too caught up in the moment.

I had found someone I can confide in. Someone I can trust knowing they will never use it against me.

Someone to call my best friend.

And that is exactly what he was now. Jacob Black was my best friend.

* * *

><p><strong>I know. It was pathetically short. And not very well written. But the drama must make up for that. I mean who really expected this to happen? Besides me anyways. I thought it was a great idea to add in, but the chapter didn't exactly go as I planned as you can see. But I hope it satisfied your cravings for now.<strong>

**Sorry again.**

**.:StargazersHourglass:.**


	8. Nightmares

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Seven**

**-Nightmares-**

Jacob had driven me home from La Push later that night when I knew I wouldn't bump in to anybody. Charlie was probably in bed sleeping. But I wasn't tiered. My brain was working over time causing me to toss and turn while I had tried to fall asleep. I had gotten out of bed before I switched the lamp on my nightstand on. I dug around in one of the drawers and pulled out a regular square, plastic case with a silver CD on the inside. Phil had given it to me before I had left, in case I had one of those times where I didn't want to think. It's like he's a psychic. The soothing jazz sounds cleared my head completely. The CD is what had finally lulled me to sleep that night.

The scenery was beautiful. The trees were full of leaves and a lush dark green color. I was surrounded by them. The only thing that would have made it even more perfect would be the sun trying to peak through the cracks. But the forest branches were too thick to allow it to come though.

I could hear the sound of waves crashing on to the shore. A beach. A beach meant no trees and no trees meant that there might be sunlight wherever these waves crashing were. I follow the sounds with a smile on my face. I walked and walked for what seemed like hours. I haven't been able to come across the source of the noise of waves crashing yet.

What happened next surprised me. Jacob had come running out of the trees in front of me. He grabbed me by the shoulders and started to shove me in the opposite direction. His face had a frantic look on it. "Branson! Run! You have to get away now while you still can! It isn't safe!"

That sounded like a cliched Nicholas Cage movie.

I shrugged him off and continued walking forward. I had to find the sun. A loud voice echoed through the trees, calling my name. I recognized it as Mike's. He sounded as though he was beckoning to me to continue going forward.

Jacob growled from behind me. He ran up in front of me and ripped his shirt off. His body had somehow become more muscular than it was a mere few second ago. His face was now angry and he let out another loud growl. He leaped up and it was as though he had exploded right out of his skin. In his place, a rusty reddish brown colored wolf was there. It snarled ferociously.

Mike's voice had gotten louder. "Run B! Run!" he called.

But I ignored him. Behind me was a bright light. The sand was a bleached yellow-white color. The water was dark blue. It was a beautiful sight to behold. But before I could go anywhere, I was stopped again. What is with the people around here?

This time though it was Edward. He was walking closer to me with a malicious grin. Right in front of me his teeth flashed. They were a striking white color, but what was sort of out of the ordinary was that he had... fangs? Sharp and tough looking fang sandwiching his to front teeth. He moved his face to my ear. "Trust me," he whispered. His breath was cold and it hit me right on the cheek. He bent down even further but was torn away from me.

The wolf from before was on top of Edward, tearing his limbs right off of his body.

I screamed loudly.

I woke up in my bed, sweating and screaming uncontrollably. I brushed the hair that was stuck to my forehead from the sweat and threw the blankets on me. I walked down stairs and filled up a glass of water from the tap. I downed it quickly and placed it on the counter. On the counter was a piece of paper with a scrawl of Charlie's chicken scratch.

_Hey Sonny,_

_Went fishing with Billy. I left around 4:30 this morning._

I glanced at the clock. It was five o'clock. No wonder why I didn't wake him up. He wasn't here.

_I'll be home around 3. I'm bringing home dinner so don't worry about going to the store._

_Dad_

I sighed and put the note back down. I took another glance at the clock and rubbed my head. There wasn't anyway that I was going back to sleep tonight. I gently put the glass in to the sink and walked back up to my room. I sat down at the desk and turned on the computer. Waiting for it to boot up, a sudden chill came over me. The wind was blowing inside from the open window. Which was odd, because I was pretty sure that the window was closed when I went to sleep.

I went over and closed it, using the lock at the top to make extra sure that it wouldn't magically open again. I sat back at the computer and clicked on to Google. I then typed in the one word that I was pretty sure that would help me figure out most of what I need to know.

**Vampire**

Scrolling through, most of the information I was looking for was just gore, or information about different role playing games. I looked on further, looking at page after page. I was about to give up when I saw some thing. Highlighted in blue were the words **Stregoni Benefici**. Underneath, was the subplot of information about the website. I clicked on the link and began to read.

_A powerful, Italian vampire that is the mortal enemies of evil vampires. Signs of these creatures are fairly obvious, however most people are ignorant and look over what could be._

I looked over the website some more. Even though most of the information was a nerdy guy who probably lived in his parent's basement's imagination, a lot seemed real. Edward Cullen fit the criteria perfectly. Pale skin, speed, strength, beauty. But, there was one thing that got me. It said that they weren't allowed to be out in the daytime. Which has to be untrue because I see Edward at school everyday. During the day.

I sighed angrily and shut the computer off. After putting my shoes on and grabbing my jacket, I stormed out of the house and in to the woods. I walked somewhat far in and just sat down on the grass, against a hollow log that I found. I took a deep breath and leaned my head back on the log, just sitting there.

The mystery that surrounded the Cullen family was really getting to me. Whatever they were, vampires, superheros, or something that I haven't thought of or didn't know exist, they were not human. And that could be dangerous. The warnings Edward had given me to stay away from him made more sense now.

We shouldn't be friends.

I'm dangerous.

When he said things like that to me, I didn't take him seriously. Now I knew I had to. He was a dangerous... thing. And he could hurt me and everyone I love.

But on the other hand, he probably knows that I am on to him and if he wanted to hurt me he would have done it by now. But he hadn't. And I have to take that in to consideration as well.

I'm drawn to him. Some kind of magical force just brings me to him. Like he can see right in to me. That doesn't scare me as much as I thought it would.

That's when it hits me. The dream. The screaming of Edward and the wolf fighting I didn't care that I could have been hurt. About how the wolf might have some after me next. It was Edward I was scared for. His safety mattered to me. I cared about him. He wormed his way and had settled in to a permanent place inside of my heart.

Edward Cullen mattered to me.

And it was with that realization that made me decide to keep on getting closer to him. Only this time, I would be subconsciously doing it willingly.

I decide to get up and go home. Relieved that I made my decision.

The rest of my weekend was uneventful. I spent it just hanging around with Charlie. Which was nice. Having that father-son bonding experience was refreshing. I enjoyed it quite a lot.

That Monday morning, it was a bright and sunny day. There was a little skip in my walk as I basked in the warm light. I had gotten to school a little earlier that morning, just sitting in the bed of my truck with my eyes closed. It felt nice. Like I was forgetting all of my problems.

A knock against the metal caused me to break out of my dream state. I opened my eyes and looked over to see Angela Webber leaning against the side, looking down at me. Red was staining her pale face and the sunlight made it stand out against her skin even more. She didn't look mad or embarrassed or anything really. Just a plain, blank look and a red face.

"Hi, Ang," I said.

"Hi," she muttered quietly.

Wow. Awkward.

"Look, Angie, I'm..."

I didn't know what to say to her. I knew I needed to apologize, but I never really apologized to someone for kissing them. But that wasn't the thing. As far as she knew anyway. I used her. I used her like a cheap whore. And because of this, I may have ruined one of the only real friendships that I made here.

"Branson," she sighed.

"No, Angela. I have to say this." When did my life become a bad lifetime movie? I pushed the door to the bed open, "Climb on in." She did and sat down next to me. Neither on of us said nothing as we stared in to the school's parking lot. More and more kids started to show up, letting their eyes linger on Angela and I for a minute or so when they left their cars. "Angie, I'm so sorry for what I did."

She looked shocked. "What?"

"For kissing you like that. And then running away like a girl. I'm an ass. The biggest ass straight out England."

"Yes. You are."

Glad we're on the same page here.

"You see, I wasn't thinking straight when that happened. I've been having a lot of different things running through my head ever since I moved in to this town. And its been screwing with me, driving me insane and to blind stupidity that made me make a huge mistake to someone who I actually care about. And I really want for you to forgive me."

I finished. It's all out. She looked at me hard. "So you regret it?" she whispered to me.

I nodded. "A lot."

Tears started to fill her eyes. "So, you don't like me. Like you would a girlfriend?"

Wait.

What?

Where was she going with this?

"You only want to be friends?" she asked me.

Oh, crappy damn. The hell did I do?

She wiped her tears quickly and looked at her lap. "I mean, I see why you wouldn't. I'm not as pretty as Lauren or Jessica. But I thought that since you kissed me..." she trailed off.

"Angie," I whispered. "No I don't like you like that. But, trust me, you are seven hundred times more pretty than those two will ever hope to be. Your smart. Your fun to hang out with. Your the nicest person I know." There was probably only one way to escape this and still keep our friendship intact. "And if I wasn't gay, you would definitely be the girl I would go after."

Her head snapped up quickly to look at me. She looked absolutely shocked and had no clue to what to say. She began to open her mouth, but never got a chance to say anything to me.

"First you kiss her and then run away like a wuss. Now you're making her cry?" an angry voice ran out.

Ben Cheney came storming up to my truck, red in the face and eyes squinted with a sharp glare directed at me. The whole parking lot stopped at looked at him as his hand slammed down on to the metal. I was shocked. I knew he hated me and I knew he would be angry, but wow. This was a new one.

"Ben," I begin to say.

"Shut up!" he yelled. He grabbed me by the collar and pulled me off. I was frozen from the shock. I didn't see it coming, but I definitely felt it as his fist jammed in to my stomach. I gasped at the sudden wave the hit me. I faintly heard Angela scream out Ben's name.

The shock wore off and anger overridden me. I know I was an ass and everything, but who the hell did he think he was butting in to something that was never any of his business.

I, literally, growled before I jumped on top of him and brought him to the ground. We had began wrestling on the ground, hitting each other before we were finally pulled apart. I took my eyes off of Cheney and saw that Eric was holding him back. And I looked over my shoulder to see Mike hanging on to me. I looked back over at Ben. His lip was slightly split open and he was breathing hardly.

What the hell had just happened?

"What is going on?"

Everyone around was looking over. The students had parted away from each other and Mr. Banner was running through the clearing. His face had looked panicked and his eyes looked worried. I looked over at Ben, saw him beaten up, and I can only imagine what I look like. He may not look like it, be he is a damn good fighter. "Uh," I said, "Nothing?" Of course it had to come out like a question. I smiled sheepishly at Mr. Banner and he sighed, defeated, squeezing the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.

"Mr. Swan, judging by the blood coming out of Mr. Cheney and the bruise forming on your face, both of you panting like a couple of dehydrated cheetah, something had obviously went on between the two of you," he told us.

Well crap. Let's try another route. "Um, yes. Something did happen, Mr. Banner. Get off of me Mike," I shoved my blonde friend off me, "Ben and I were thinking about trying out for the track and field team. We were running around the parking lot, you know racing each other to practice and all that, we were neck and neck, tied to win, but then we kind of just tripped over each other. And Mike and Eric here were gracious enough to come over help us get back on to our feet." I looked my Biology teacher in the eye and smiled. "So you see, Mr. Banner, there is a perfect explanation for everything."

He looked at me, lifted an eyebrow then looked over at Ben, who had been released from Eric's grip. "Is that true Mr. Cheney?" he asked. He stared him down like a homicide officer interrogating his victim. He had gotten a nervous look on his face. Where the hell did all of that courage go?

"Uh, um," he swallowed visibly, "I wouldn't exactly put it like that."

"Oh? Then how would you put it?"

Don't blow it Ben... Don't blow it.

But we'll never get to know if he would or not. His face became a pale white, his eyes rolled in the back of his head and he fell backwards. Luckily Eric was still behind him and was able to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Mr. Banner sighed again looking down. "Mr. Yorkie, please take Mr. Cheney to the Nurse's office," he walked forward and grabbed my shoulder, "Mr Swan. Principal's Office. Now."

He began to pull me forward to the school's office building. I looked back and frowned. Eric and Mike were dragging Ben to the Nurse. Angela stood with Jessica and kept her eyes on me. I apologized to her again with my eyes before heading inside.

I ended up getting suspended from school for the rest of the week, only because it was my first offense. I would have gotten less days, but I told the principal that I started the fight and caught Ben off guard. The whole mess was my fault to begin with, and I could have ended it as well. But I didn't. I deserve much worse than just being banned from school for a certain amount of days.

Charlie was livid. After being scolded by the principal, he had called Charlie in, explained what happened, and had him take me home. And on the way I had to listen to Charlie, the chief of police, scold me as well. He told me how upset that made him and how disappointed he was in me.

"I'm disappointed in me, too," I told him.

During my suspension period, I had stuck around the house. Charlie grounded until further notice, so I stayed inside the house and did all the chores that were needed to be done around here. Renee called me, from England that is. Apparently Charlie had called her and now she was calling me.

"Branson Mitchell! What in the hell were you thinking?"

"Mom-"

"No! You listen to me! You could have hurt that boy! You could have hurt yourself! I thought I had raised you right!"

She continued to rant on and on at me. Charlie knew this would happen, so I guess he made it part of my punishment. Luckily, after about five minutes of her screeching, Phil had taken the phone away from her.

"Hey kid," he said.

I smiled. "Hey Phil."

"I heard you got in to a little tussle."

"Yeah, I did."

It was silent for a few seconds before I heard him quietly ask me, "Did you draw any blood?"

I chuckled and then laughed loudly when I heard Renee yell, "Phillip!"

I rolled my eyes and hung up the phone while the two of them bickered. Then I dialed the phone with a familiar number. I waited as the call went through and the ringing stop. "Hello? Forks Police," the receptionist said.

"Hi Rhonda, It's Branson. Is my dad there?"

"Yes dear, hold on."

She was a sweet woman. Kind of like a Mrs. Cope sort of way.

"Hello?" I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"That was low, old man."

The day after that I had nothing at all to do. It was it's usual lousy Forks weather outside, not that I was allowed outside anyways. The school didn't let me bring home work to keep up with the class. I hate those damn school guidelines. All of the chores were done, the house was clean. I sat on the couch flipping through the channels on the TV. I just ended up turning it off and flipping on to my back.

"I am so bored!" I screamed in to the empty house.

The door bell rang...

Yes! Something to do! My prayers have been answered!

Too bad I can't have people over... Oh well. I ran to the door and pulled it open. Standing at my door was Edward. I could see his clean silver Volvo behind him in the driveway. He smiled crookedly at me. "Hello Branson," he said.

My insides tingled. "Hey Edward. Um, what's up?"

Wow, he was absolutely breathtaking. "I just came to give you some homework. I figured you would be bored."

That shocked me. "I thought we weren't aloud to have work brought home on suspension."

He winked at me, making my stomach flutter. Wow, I am such a girl. "I have my ways," he said.

I bit my lip, smiled at him and looked down at my feet. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it."

He is amazing. Not just in looks, but as a person as well. I looked back up at him and he grinned a bit wider.

He made me feel nervous just by being around.

He made my heart beat faster.

And to get all cheese ball here, I was falling for him. Hard and fast.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys. I updated again, because I felt bad about the crappy chapter I posted last... Tuesday? Maybe it was Monday, either way I felt bad about it and wanted to make it up you guys. <strong>

**Anyway, any Demi Lovato fans? Even if you aren't, you should go hear her new single "Skyscraper". It was the most raw and real and beautiful song that I have probably ever heard in my life.**

**Anyway, here is a new chapter for everyone! Hope you enjoyed it!**

**.:StargazersHourglass:.**


	9. Port Angeles

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Eight**

**-Port Angeles-**

Edward and I had been standing at my door for a bit now. Not saying anything, just looking at one another. It was as if the whole world was standing still. I thought it was sort of nice to be able to have an absolute silence with somebody without it being all awkward or anything. The smile on his face had not wore off, and I am pretty sure that the one mine hadn't either.

I wasn't allowed to have anybody over after being grounded and everything, but I couldn't resist asking him."Would you like to come in?"I spoke as lowly as possible so that things could stay somewhat quiet. It felt kind of wrong breaking up the sound stillness that we had created in the atmosphere that surrounded us.

"Sure," he whispered as well.

I stood aside and allowed him in, closing the door behind him like a good host. "Make yourself comfortable," I told him gesturing over at the couch. "Would you like anything to eat or drink."

No, he wouldn't.

"No thank you."

I knew it. I saw him stifle a laugh.

I led him over to the couch and we both sat down. Things had become quiet again. "Um, how are things?" I asked him.

"Things are good," he told me.

"Good."

I bit my lip and looked down in to my lap. I really didn't know what to say to him. "So I'm guessing that you must have heard some rumors about me."

I faced him again and that crooked smile appeared on his face. "You mean the one about you joining the track team, of course."

That made me laugh. "Oh well, you know, I don't exactly meet the height requirement for the basketball team. So I thought what the hell, and got Ben to join in on it with me." The smile slid off. "What are people really saying about me?"

"Nothing bad. None at all actually. I wouldn't exactly call them rumors, just a bunch of gossip." He paused for a minute, "Angela has been a little edge through the passing days though. Like she is carrying a big weight of guilt. The word is that the fight was over her."

I sighed. "No, it wasn't," I thought about it, "well yes. In a way, I guess that it was about her."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Should I tell him what happened down at First Beach? What if it ruined my chances with him? What if he thought that I didn't like him and that I was in to women?

On the other hand, what if he finds out from someone else? Could that ruin my chances with him, not being completely open with him.

"It's a bit of a long story," I decided to go with.

"I have time."

He didn't give up. I kind of both disliked and admired that. "Maybe another day. I'm not really allowed to have people over and my dad is going to be back from work soon," he looked a bit upset, "Not that I want you to leave. It's just that I'm grounded because of what happened. I took the full blame for it and now I am paying in my dept."

"How about tomorrow? Would you like to go to Port Angeles with me?"

I raised an eyebrow. "But I'm grounded."

"So? You already broke a few rules, why not another one? No one will really know."

"Don't you have to go to school?"

"I'll ditch."

I bit my lip, smiled at him and said, "Alright then, it's a date."

Tomorrow could not come fast enough.

Edward left a little after he asked me to Port Angeles telling me that he'll come get me at 7:30. Charlie had just missed him and didn't, thankfully, suspect a thing. I couldn't sleep that night. I was way to excited for the upcoming day with Edward. Butterflies started to spread their wings inside of my stomach. I was loving the whole anxious-excited feeling that was going on within me.

Morning came and the loud sound of the alarm shrilled in the quiet room at exactly 6:30. I had conked out around three in the morning drowning in thoughts and images of what could happen today. After I showered and use a towel to dry my hair I wandered to my closet and picked out what I had wanted to wear for our "date". I decided on a dark blue button up shirt with a white shirt underneath. Black jeans and a pair of gray plaid slip-on shoes covered the lower half of my body. I went back to the bathroom and walked as far away from the mirror as possible. I turned and modeled myself for me a couple of times before okaying what I had chosen. I started to feel a little more confident about being with Edward for a full day.

Charlie had already left for work when I went downstairs that morning. He gets home around six o'clock tonight so I just had to make sure that Edward will get me home before that time. I grabbed a box of chocolate-dipped chewy granola bars from the kitchen and sat in the living room and waited for him. It was 7:20, I had ten minutes until he came and I was feeling anxious. I sat on the couch and waited for the doorbell to ring in ten minutes.

7:30

7:35

8:14

8:57

9:02

He wasn't coming. My heart was down in my stomach at the point where I felt like I was going to through up. My shoulders slumped and I was laying down on the couch. What the hell is going on? No, that is a stupid question. He stood me up! That is what the hell is going on. Different emotions overcame me. I was sad, I wasn't able to see him. I was angry, that he made plans with me, than just never came, maybe if he called me or something I wouldn't be as mad at him as I was feeling. But most of all I felt rejected, small, and inferior. Why would he do something like that? I knew the Cullen family didn't really branch out to other people other than themselves. Was it some big practical joke? Try and make the new kid feel special and confused then just rip away the special and make him feel only the confused and just replace the the positive feeling with negativity.

Well, you know what, screw him. I know that I am not much of prize, but he missed out on what something that could have been great.

I grabbed the keys to my truck out of the drawer that Charlie "hid" them in and took off out the door. Right now, I didn't care much if people saw me, not only breaking my grounding but also leaving town. I didn't care that I was going to get an earful from Charlie later. I just wanted out of that house. My destination? Port Angeles. I made a plan to get there today and I was going to do it whether I was with someone or not.

I had gone to several different stores, just window shopping, got some lunch and then I came across a small bookshop/coffee house that was downtown. It was a bit of a walk after I parked, but worth it. I had been here for hours since I left home this morning. I had been sitting in a chair by the window with a cup of black coffee and a copy of The Great Gatsby. It had calmed me down reasonably and filled my head with the images that was given to me by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I think I fell asleep a little after, because someone shaking my shoulder had woken me up.

"Hey kid," a voice said, "You've been here for a while now. It almost seven o'clock. I think you should probably go home now." A young woman, only a few years older than me, with warm green eyes and dirty blonde was standing above me.

I shifted my body on the chair. "Um, thank you. What time did you say it was?"

"Six thirty. You've been here for a few hours now."

Looks like Charlie beat me home.

I stepped out of the coffee shop shouting a "thanks again" over my shoulder and started making my long way back to the truck. It was getting dark out and the street lights had already turned on. I was taking turns and more turns on to different streets that were unfamiliar to me. It was starting to get cold outside and the wind had blown right through my body.

A loud noise was heard from behind me. I turn around a bunch of guys were walking, about two of them had was carrying a six pack of beer and the were stumbling around like a bunch of buffoons. They had their eyes on me, looking me up and down like kids in a candy store. I picked up the pace a bit in steps. "Pretty boy!" one called out. He must have noticed my speed up. "Oh, pretty boy! Slow down will ya? We want to talk with ya!" The rest cried out, agreeing with their friend. I started moving faster almost to the point where I looked like I was power walking. "Why you little shit!" one of them called out. I could hear the souls of their shoes hitting the concrete as they began chasing me.

Nerves curled up in my stomach. My heart was thumping in sync with the loud clomps behind me. I began running away, but my legs were to short to get away from them. One of the guys had managed to get beside me and pushed me in to an alley way. I landed on a pile of garbage that was laying on the ground. The guy who had pushed me smirked down before placing his boot on to my stomach. His buddies were all lined up behind him with the same evil glimmer in their eyes.

"Did you really think you could out run me?" the guy who had his boot on me said. He slurped up the saliva in his mouth loudly before spitting on my face and pushing his foot down harder. His spit ran down my face and on to my neck before traveling off my body and on to the garbage bag. He chuckled at my discomfort. "Bobby, Rob, grab his wrists and hold him. Greg, Nick get a leg. Spread his body out like a big," he snorted at himself, "excuse me, _small_ X."

I struggled against the heavy weight pushing down before I felt each one of my limbs being grabbed. "Help!" I called out, "Someone help me!"

I felt a hand smack me across the face. "Shut up," one of them sneered before looking over at his friend, "figures the little fag boy would be a screamer. Guess we're going to have to gag him."

And that they did. The had taken off my right show and then the sock before stuffing the sock in my mouth. I tried screaming again, but they came out as muffles. The guy who had pushed me down first grabbed a fist full of my hair and pulled my head up. He smirked and rubbing his crotch with his free hand. "You got a big mouth, but you are real good looking, pretty boy." He let go of my hair and my head fell back, looking at the brick wall behind me. I felt one of the undoing the button from the fly of my jeans and began to pull the zipper down. I started screaming in to the sock again and shook my arms and legs as hard as I could.

"Little shit has got some fight in him," one of them said.

I felt fingertips at the hem of my jeans and undergarments. The nails grazed lightly along the skin of my pelvis. A bright light illuminated the alley and a loud screeching sound echoed off the walls. All of the four men who had a hold on me jumped in surprise and I felt the hands of the leader retract from me. A car door slammed shut.

"Let go of him!"

I wasn't sure who it was, but they had growled really loudly at them. When they did nothing, a hissing sound was heard and my limbs were released. My head hit the cold concrete below. My vision began to become slightly cloudy. Black and purple spots were also appearing wherever I moved my eyes.

I'm really tiered. Extremely tiered. My eyes fluttered shut and I drifted into unconciousness.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, another chapter done. Don't you just love the drama? What is going to happen next?<strong>

**PENNAME CHANGE! I changed my name to MelancholyWhispers!**

**If you like this story and you are looking for a really good read, I suggest Homophobe by _YouarenotMe_. I have been following it since the begging and I think that it is an truly great story. Also, I'm looking for a read, so if you have any reccomendations (Vampire, Wolf, Human, whatever) could you let me know?**

**Thanks for reading! :-)**

**.:MelancholyWhispers:.**


	10. Theories

**Dearly Devoted**

**Chapter Nine**

**-Theories-**

I awoke to nothing but darkness, only a slight light that was peeking in through the crack of the blinds on the window from the moon. Or was it the sun? I didn't know much, only that I was in a strange place underneath the covers of a very comfortable bed, no one but me around. I pulled myself up in to a sitting position, the memories of what had happened how ever long ago it was passing through my head. To think that I would probably have been shaken up to the point of a mental breakdown, but I felt fine. Normal. As is nothing had even had ever happened to me. I felt calm and relaxed and safe.

I pushed the covers off me and swung my legs around on to one side of the bed, trying to climb out. The springs squeaked loudly as I stood. I began walking to the door, the floorboards creaking with each step that I took. I needed to find out where the hell I was, and the only way to do that was to get myself up and face it head on.

I reached out to the door knob, only to have it whisked away from me before I could even get my hand around the knob. The door was being pulled open and I stumbled back as the person who was entering came inside with me.

He was a man, a few years older than myself. He was beautiful. Like Cullen beautiful. But they and _he_ hadn't come in to my mind as I drank in the sight of this new person. His skin was pale like chalk with long, blonde hair pulled back and tied up tightly behind his head. Red eyes were penetrating through me.

"Um, hello?" I said to him.

He smiled at me. His lips were quirked in a charmingly twisted way. His teeth were white and shiny like a toothpaste ad. "Hello," he said back. His voice was thick, seducing, and deep, "I'm glad to see that you are awake. You've been out of it for quite some time now."

A thousand questions popped up in my mind. "How long is _quite some time now_, exactly?"

"Only a little over two days. You hit your head pretty hard."

That's wonderful. "And you are?"

He chuckled. "My name is James."

Things stayed silent. I had been trying to analyze this in my head now. First off, the king of douche bags, Edward Cullen, didn't show up for our... date. Secondly, I disregarded Charlie and left the house against my punishment to head up in to Port Angeles by myself. Thirdly, I was attacked and this close to being raped by a couple of thugs. And now, I'm standing in a strange room with a man, a very good looking man, who I did not know in a place where I had no idea where it was.

"So it was you who rescued me, was it?"

He raised and eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

"No, no. I just – thank you," I said.

I spent the rest of the day talking over things with James. He had a great sense of humor, it was like he was able to get inside of my head and figure me out.

He placed a hand on my cheek and ran his fingertips down my cheek, to my chin and gave me a soft smile. I shivered a bit at his touch, his hand was freezing cold. "Whats the matter?" he asked me.

"Your freezing," I told him.

He retracted his hand from my fave and gave a sad smile. "Yes," he said, "all people that are of my kind are affected by that."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Your kind?"

"Hypoglycemics. I have really poor blood sugar. Not always the best."

Hypoglycemia. I thought back to him. Did I ever consider Hypoglycemia as a reason why he is like he really is. Are all the Cullens are Hypoglycemic? If so, why are they all keeping it such a big secret? It just doesn't add up. They don't eat. Wouldn't they have to eat if they were?

I sighed loudly and looked down.

"Whats wrong?" James asked me.

I don't know what compelled me to do it, I just felt the need to tell him everything as soon as I looked right in to his eyes.

"I'm just thinking of somebody."

"Girlfriend?"

I laughed bitterly. "I wish. Somehow I think it would be much easier to deal with."

We stayed silent until I had started speaking again. "I grew up in the city. London, to be exact. I thought I had my life together. Then I move to America and everything just falls apart. Thought I move in with my dad, get to know him better, and live. Then I meet this person, this one person, and I start questioning everything, even myself."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not who I thought I was. Moving to America was really bittersweet. I never would have discovered who I am if I didn't move here, however with finding who I am everything had become complicated... unexplainable even."

I kept talking and talking, spilling everything that happened since I got off the plane. Every thought, every feeling, every problem that I came across.

I told him about the Cullen family. My curiosity and suspicion of them all.

The guilt of hurting the people that I did.

The relief of accepting myself.

Then the subject of Edward came up. I started choking up a bit, easily heard in my voice but I kept it all on the inside. I told James about how he asked me on a date, and then stood me up completely. How angry and hurt I felt by it and going off on my own.

When I finished I looked up at him. I mean really looked at him and compared him to every

If the Cullen Family are vampires, then he must be one too. The all are just so similar that it cannot be a coincidence.

"Is everything okay?" he snapped me out of my thoughts. I realized I had been staring at him.

I nodded and swallowed the spit in my mouth. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just really think I should be getting home now. Do you mind telling me where we are, exactly?"

He kept on smiling at me. "We're just a little outside of Port Angeles."

I stood up and started walking to the door. "Thanks for saving my life and everything. I'll see you around, maybe." And I took off, barely listen to the faint goodby from the room. I ran out of a small cabin and straight in to the woods not knowing where I was going.

I wandered around for hours, eventually making my way back to a road. It was nearing night time and the temperature had dropped significantly. Did you ever have one of those times were you felt like your life had turned in to a horror movie? Here I am, the kind of sweet boy who is wandering down a street. Aren't they usually second to die? You know, a couple of days after some little blonde girl with light skin who had been wandering the forest for no apparent reason.

Wasn't that what happened to Paris Hilton in the remake of _House of Wax_?

Well, whatever. Point is that I have no clue where I am and officially creep out. I have got to stop watching horror movies. They make me all paranoid.

I had finally found some sort of civilization when the sky was pitch black. Port Angeles was illuminated with the tall street lights that were lined up.

Luckily there was a small gas station located on the outskirts of the city. A gas station with a payphone. An old man with wrinkly brown skin stood at the counter with a frown set on his face. A few points of his teeth were sticking out of his lips. He looked me dead in the eye. They were a dull brown and lifeless. Like all the meaning he had was gone completely. "What do ya want kid?" he asked me. His voice was scratchy like he had been smoking for a majority of his life.

"Um, hi," I said in a smallish voice, "I've been kind of wandering around on the roads for a while. I was just, I'm wondering if-"

"Spit it out boy!"

"Can you spare some change," wow, I sound like a hobo, "so I can call my father to come and get me."

He gave me a once-over look as I studied his face. The cheek below his left eye kept on twitching. "Ya look familiar. Have you ever been around these part before?"

"No, not really."

"Aye, then."

"Can I have some change or not?"

He ended up giving me seventy five cents. I felt his eyes on me, watching me as I went outside to use the phone.

I inserted all the change in to the little slot and pressed down the numbers desired. It rang several times before the voice that I never thought to be so happy to hear.

"Hello" his voice rang out. It sounded tired and overworked, like he's been up for days. "Hello?" he repeated.

"Dad?"

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><p><strong>I am so sorry. I just didn't know what to do with this chapter. Damn writers block.<strong>

**I hope this will satisfy for now while I try to overcome the block.**

**Hey, is anybody a KingdomHearts fan? I'm working on a Novelization of 365 / 2 days. I could really use the extra critiques. No pressure, if you gave the time it is really appreciated.**

** - MelancholyWhispers**


	11. Interrogations

**Question... Is Branson too much like Bella?**

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><p><strong>Dearly Devoted<strong>

**Chapter Ten**

**-Interrogations-**

I sat on the bench outside of the gas station. The worker had shut it down about an hour ago. It got even chillier outside and the only source of light came from the street light that glowed a faded orange-yellow color.

After I called Charlie he all but jumped and squealed like a small girl. He screamed and hollered and he soothed and cooed at me as well. Then before I knew it he slammed the phone shut after screaming that he's coming to get me. If that is what he did on the phone, I can only imagine what was going to happen when I see him in person.

I started to think back to what happened the other night. Those men, touching me, pulling on my clothes, spitting. It made me feel... disgusting. Dirty. Like I was just some cheap piece of meat that gross old men pick up on street corners in New York City for two dollars an hour.

I dropped my head back and sighed. My head hit the upper part of the metal bench with a small ping sound. I sighed heavily, my breath forming a small cloud in the air like I was puffing out smoke after taking a quick drag from a cigarette. Tears burned the corners of my eyes and I could feel them freezing on the spot. I wanted nothing more than to find someone to blame. Blame Edward. Blame those assholes who touched. Blame Charlie. Anybody but myself. The tough part is that I can't and I know I cant. I'm the one who chose to run from my punishment Charlie set on me. Who got angry over Edward standing me up, when there could have been a perfectly reasonable explanation. And if I never did either of those, the asshole-squad never would have touched... better yet, see me. I know that this whole mess was my fault.

However, I'm am going to outright deny it as my mistake. For now, anyway.

All I want is for Charlie to get me and take me home.

Allow me to curl up in my bed and weep until I get so exhausted from all the sobbing I just pass out in to a dreamless unconsciousness.

I swallowed a pool of saliva that gathered in my mouth. It has been almost a half of a hour since I called Charlie and he still hasn't shown up. I could feel arms begin to sting from the bitter cold air and ran my hands up and down the opposite arm, hoping the friction would heat me some what.

And then, headlights. And sirens. They weren't making that horrible screeching sound, but the red and blue lights that flash from the top of a cruiser were spinning rapidly. The car came to an immediate halt a few feet away from the bench that I was sitting on. The door opened right away, swinging so fast that it looked like it would have come right off the car if thrown any rougher. Charlies' head popped up over the roof like a ferret coming out of a hole. His skin was deathly pale yellow like an old bruise. Black bags were piled underneath his eyes. "Branson!" he called.

I stood up as he ran around the cruiser. He crushed me in to his chest and rested his fingertips at the nape of my neck. He rubbed soothing circles in to the skin underneath my hair. I lifted my arms weakly and wrapped them around his torso.

"Thank god," I heard him whisper.

The car ride back to Forks was silent. Charlie probably thought I was completely traumatized after be missing from home for two days. He helped me out of the car and up the stairs. He sat me down on the covered up toilet before he laid out a towel and change of clothes form me on the counter next to the sink. He turned the shower on and left me to do my business.

After my shower, he was waiting outside for me. He led me in to my bedroom and had my lay down on the bed. He crushed his lips to my forehead before pulling the covers over me.

"Get some sleep, Sonny. Me and you are going to have a real long talk tomorrow," he told me.

I have never seen Charlie so... paternal before. Out of the months that I've been living with him, he kind of just always left me to myself. It kind of felt nice.

"I love you, dad." I whispered.

"I love you, too."

And with that, he walked out of the room after flicking the lights off and shutting the door, leaving only a small crack open.

I closed my eyes softly. The feeling to be inside of my own bed was comforting, and my body instantly relaxed in to the mattress. My muscles were tingling with exhaustion as I fell unconscious and landed in to the safety of beautiful dreams of nothing, and, yet, it seemed as though that nothing had started to become everything.

When I had awoke the next day it was pretty close to one o'clock in the afternoon. I was well rested and deemed myself well enough to leave the safety of my bedroom and cross down to get some food. The old floor creaked as I took step by step down the stairs. It was a Tuesday afternoon, so I assumed that Charlie probably went to work and that I was alone in the house. In the kitchen, I was able to hear the coffee pot heat up the water inside and some things frying on the stove. My insides flipped around I pushed my back up against the wall, sliding along like a ninja. I took a peak around the corner and my fear washed away when I saw the back of a head full of long black hair and smooth tan skinned arms under a black undershirt in front of the stove. Jacob.

I opened my mouth to say something, but he manage to beat me to it. "Morning," he said in his cheery voice, "well, afternoon actually. But, happy wake-up nonetheless." He turned around and gave me a smile with his bright and straight white teeth. "I heard you skulking down the stairs."

I smiled at him shyly. "What are you doing here?"

"Your dad asked me to come over and keep an eye on you."

Wow, Charlie got me a babysitter, who was younger than me. Though I really don't blame him for doing so. He was probably paranoid that I would end up leaving again.

"Aren't you suppose to be in school?" I asked Jacob, pushing playfulness in to my eyes.

He just smirked back at me. "Skipping one day never hurt anybody."

I shook my head back at him, unable to keep the amused smile from gracing my face. "Nothing is more important than your education, Jacob Black."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Sure, sure." I giggled at him. "I made you some... uh, breakfast."

"Thanks."

He shrugged his shoulders. "No biggie. I had some time."

"How long have you been here?"

"A few hours."

"You could have woken me up."

He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it soon after like a goldfish. "Alright, I'm not going to lie to you. I tried, but you sleep like the dead," he told me.

My eyes opened with shock, but I have to admit that his honesty was refreshing. "You what?"

"I was bored!" he tried to defend himself, "Besides you just said I could have gone up and do it."

"I was being polite! You should have responded with," I lowered my voice to imitate his, "_I didn't want to disturb you. I mean, after all, it was your first night back home after being missing for the past few days._"

He chuckled, his slightly skinny body frame shaking with each breath. "I don't talk like that."

"Whatever."

He smirked at me again. "Whatever," he raised his voice up higher, probably trying to sound like me.

I couldn't help but to laugh at him. "You're such a dork," I told him.

He laughed too, before turning around and grabbing a mug on the counter. "You want some coffee?" he asked.

"Yeah, please."

He tipped the jug over the cup and I got the cream out of the refrigerator and the sugar out of the cabinet. I sat down at the small table and placed the to items in my hand in the center. Jacob placed the coffee and a small silver spoon in front of me before taking the chair on the other side. I poured the cream in to the cup and then started on the sugar when Jacob had begun to speak again.

"You want to tell me what happened?" he asked me.

I placed the sugar back on the table and looked directly in to his eyes. They were filled with concern and empathy, that it was almost impossible to resist spilling all of my secrets. I looked down in to my cup filled with coffee and started to stir the sugar and cream around with the spoon.

Could I trust Jacob?

I mean, I've partly told Angela. And the stranger that saved me, James, knew everything. But they didn't have a solid relationship with Charlie. And as much as I wanted to tell my birth father, I am still unsure on how he would react to the news.

I took a chance and looked back at Jacob's face. His gaze never left my face.

Yes. The answer was an absolute, definite yes. I could trust Jacob.

I took a deep breath. "I'm gay." I told him. His face held no reaction, he just nodded his head, urging me to continue. "When I moved to Forks, everything seemed like it was going to be fine. I had finally got the opportunity to come out and meet my dad in person for the first time... that I would be able to remember, anyway. Everything was going just fine, until I met Edward Cullen."

I told Jake the whole story. About Edward leaving for weeks and not coming back, the Tyler's Van fiasco, the fear of telling Charlie, Jessica and Lauren, Angela, Ben Cheney and then getting grounded, and finally how Edward had kind of asked me out and then stood me up. I even told him about James as well. Everything had just started pouring out of me. I think I even almost told him that I broke my great-grandmother's teacups and not the small rambunctious kitten that Renee let me have at the time.

He hadn't said a word the whole time I spoke, but he kept excellent eye contact with me the whole time. When I was finished, I felt tears begin to burn my eyes and my lower lip shaking like a kid on a sugar high. I rubbed my arms uncomfortably while squirming in my seat. But, still, neither one of us broke the stare we were sharing.

Jacob stood up and walked around the table. He turned me towards him, before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in to his chest. "Thank you for telling me," he whispered in to my ear. I relaxed in to his body and laid my chin in the crevice of his neck. I attempted to return the hug, but I was wrapped so tightly, I could not get my arms loose.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw gray smoke rising to the ceiling. My attention turned to the stove, where whatever it was Jake was cooking earlier was still making a loud sizzling sound.

"Hey Jake," I said, imitating the tone he used when he hugged me.

"Yeah?"

"I think whatever it was you were cooking is going to catch on fire,"

He pulled away, holding me at arms length with a confused look on his face. "What?"

I nodded over to the stove where the smoke had begun to build up even more. He looked over and cursed loudly. I laughed at him as he scrambled to turn the stove off and open all the windows he could.

Charlie hadn't returned until his usual time. Seven o'clock in the evening, on the dot. I heard the dull thud of his gun when he placed it on the small table by the door, and then the heavy footsteps from his work boots as he walked down the hall. "Sonny?" he called out.

Jacob and I sat in the living room, playing a game of rummy. He snickered not so subtlety when he heard the chosen name Charlie had graced me with. I rolled my eyes and threw the cards that where in my hand at him. He started chuckle louder. "That the best you can do _Sonny Boy_," he quipped.

I glared at him, but a smile stuck on my face. "Don't cross me, Black. I will beat you," I told him.

He faked a shudder. "Ooh, I'm so terrified of the overgrown shrimp." The laughter in his voice was easily distinguished.

"Is that some kind of crack about my height?"

"What? No, of course not," he retorted, "You, my friend, are one _big and beefy _man."

"Jake!"

"What? Did you think you were tall? You don't even come up to my shoulder, short stuff." I growled at him, which had no effect. "Aw, now isn't that cute? You're like a little puppy."

Before I could yell at him, a low chuckle broke through. "Alright, Jake," Charlie said, "Stop teasing the boy."

"I would Charlie, but it seems that I can't just help myself."

Charlie chuckles again, this time in his throat with a closed mouth making the noise sound like a small humming. He looked over at me and locked his eyes on to me and I immediately turn my gaze on to the dirty white carpet where I still sat with Jacob. I'm not sure why I had done this, especially to my father of all people. How could I feel all loose and easy going with Jacob and then when Charlie decides to drop in, I go all quiet?

"So Jacob," I heard Charlie say, "are you going to stick around for dinner?"

My head snapped up to the boy next to me. I silently pleaded him with my eyes for him to stay, at least for a while longer. I don't think there is anyway that I could stay alone with Charlie without feeling like bursting. Sooner or later, he was going to want to talk to me about what had happened in Port Angeles.

I choose later. I wasn't completely sure if I was able to handle that yet. And if I have it my way, it will never happen.

He hadn't said anything for a few more seconds. I was anxiously awaiting his answer while my inner self kept on gnawing on his already way to short nail tips.

"Of course he is," I yelled out.

I felt both of the turn and look at me quickly. I looked up and cast a few glances at the both of them. Charlie looked a bit worried and somewhat confused at my impulsiveness. Jacob, however, was greatly amused. Like he always seemed to be with whatever it is I did.

Jesus Christ, maybe I really am like a puppy. To him anyway. I guess that I'm Jacob's puppy. And puppies grow in to dogs, and dogs are man's best friend.

That's what it is.

Jacob Black. Official best friend of Branson Mitchell Swan.

I think I'll get him a badge.

Scratch that. If I did, he would probably just laugh at me and then come back the next day with a leash that some parents (horrifyingly) strap on to their children and then ask Charlie if he could take the puppy out for a walk.

Douche bag.

I looked over at him again. He was grinning like an idiot at me. One would probably think that he is able to hear everything that I'm thinking and he was trying to keep himself from rolling around the floor laughing like a madman. Though, this isn't anyone. Its Jacob.

"Yeah, I'll stay Charlie. Thanks," he said.

My shoulders sunk down with the unknown breath I was holding in. I caught Jake's eye out of the corner of my own my stomach was beginning to bubble up with feelings of happiness and glee up to the point where I was about to explode. I smiled at him with absolute gratitude. He winked at me.

No matter about how I felt about Jacob now, he was still the biggest tool in the shed.

Freaking douche bag.

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><p><strong>I am sooo sorry. It had taken me so long to write this chapter. I mean, that damn writers block kept me from everyone and then I would just keep putting the chapter off, but I really wanted to get this up before Christmas.<strong>

**I put a lot of Jakeson! in this. I think they would be so adorable together. But, I like Branward! as well. I haven't really decided if I am going to put Branson with Jacob or Edward yet. Or if somebody else completely different.**

**Tell me what you think. Jacob or Edward (who I think is going to return in the next chapter) or someone else. I need HELP PEOPLE!**

**Happy Holidays!**

** - MelancholyWhispers**


	12. Oopsiee Daiseyy

heyy everybody. i am so sorry about the lack of updates. my computer crashed so i've been without a computer for like... a few months. so that is why there were not any update at all for this story. i sincerly apologize and i hope you can still be patient with me. i need to get back in to my writing groove and hopefully will be able to start again. I really hope i can get a chapter out by the summertime.

once again i am sorry. please forgive me.

MelancholyWhispers 


	13. Complications

**Enchanted**

**Chapter Eleven**

**-Complications-**

When I was younger, I was always excited when Phil would take me to work with him. Walking around, making his rounds with him and seeing all the sickly people had somehow gave me pleasure. Driving around in the cruiser with Charlie did not give me the same feelings. I felt dirty and a bit ashamed of myself. Is that what all non-cops are suppose to feel like when they're forced against their will in to a black and white car with bars separating the front and back seats? Well, unless you were some kind of sociopath. Those mother fuckers can slit a throat, dump a body in to an ocean and then go and get takeout for their family.

Alright, no more SHOWTIME for me. Why is _Dexter_ so addicting?

Anyway, I'm off track. The whole point of my little spiel was that I'm stuck in the Police Cruiser with Charlie who decided he was going to drive me to school from now on. Not that I really blame him for making this decision. I mean, I did kind of runaway and didn't come for several days. But still, the cruiser? Someone please just strap me down naked to a table covered in plastic wrap before chopping me apart limb from limb.

I was anxious to get to school today. It was my first day back after the showdown between Benjamin Cheney and I. Who knew what people were saying about him and about me... about Angela. I wonder how she was holding up with it all. All this gossip concerning her must be torture for a girl who likes to stay under the radar.

Charlie's eyes seemed trained on the road. But, I could feel his glance on me every now and again. I think that all parents have that special ability, they can make you just feel when they're looking at you. I leaned my head against the window. The glass was cold and it felt nice against my forehead. "You'll smudge up my window son, sit up," Charlie said.

"Dad," I spoken softly.

"What is it son?"

He pulled the cruiser up to the front of the school. I knew that the eyes of the way to nosy students of Forks High were watching, wondering why the police was there. I swallowed a pool of spit that swirled in my mouth. "I love you," I said to him before jumping out of the cruiser. I slammed the door in his face before he got a chance to say anything else.

I don't know why I did that. I guess he deserved to hear it out of me after everything I put him through since I got here. But, still, I think I'm a bit uncomfortable with us trying to get close. I knew that we'd never be close like Billy and Jacob, but I think that I should at least make an attempt to get closer to him.

Wandering through the halls of the school made me feel awkward. I wanted to shove my head in to the nearest locker and hide there for the rest of the day.

"Hey Branson!" I heard someone call out. My stomach erupted in butterflies. I conspicuously picked up the pace in each step that I took. "Yo B! Wait up!"

I stopped in my tracks. It was just Mike. Mike I could handle right now. I felt an arm place around my shoulder and I looked up to see Mike's face giving me a soft smile. "Hey buddy. Nice to have you back," he told me.

I felt a smile bile rise up in my throat. "Yeah, thanks."

"Seriously, You've been the talk of this school for the whole week. I mean everywhere you went you would here _Branson this _and _Branson that_. You're becoming the town's celebrity!"

Son of a bitch.

I think I need a drink. Or four.

Screw it, just get me a big tumbler of penicillin and I'll take on the whole world.

Mike escorted me in to first period where several people already had taken their seats. Luckily, it was only those quiet, awkward, know-it-all brainy kids who didn't care about gossip. Mike gave me an assuring squeeze before going off to his own class. I sat in the back corner, hoping that nobody would notice me. I managed to avoid Jessica as she blabbered on to some girl she came in with.

But then, my heart dropped down to the pit of my bowels.

I watched Edward Cullen gracefully trudge in to the room.

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><p><strong>Okay, first I want to apologize for not only the long wait, but for also the real short and crappy chapter. But, I just felt so bad about not updating in so long. I just have really bad writers block and have no idea where to go with this story now. This is one of those make them up as I go along stories so I really dont have any idea what to do.<strong>

**You may also want to note the name change. This was once _Dearly Devoted_ but I changed the name. I decided to use Taylor Swift's song _Enchanted_ as the story's head... song... thing. Yeah. There's a link of my favorite version on my profile (a duet between Taylor and Adam Young from Owl City that I am in love with).**

**Also on my profile is a better picture of Branson (Graham Phillips).**

**Keep on with the debate! Jakeson or Branward? Or someone else entirely?**

** - EnchantingNightmares (AKA MelancholyWhispers)**

**P.S. if you have any ideas for the story let me know. I could use some help. I'll make sure to give you credit for the idea.**


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